Living in a small apartment doesn't offer many options for elaborate holiday decor. With a little ingenuity, however, I've created a lovely holiday-themed apartment. A miniature lighted Christmas tree carefully placed on my side table greets visitors as they enter my home. Making good use of my front room window, I have adorned it with decor, using tinsel and garland, as well as miniature stockings hung with suction cups. As a festive alternative, you might try hanging shiny ornaments on the window in much the same way. If your apartment is designed with a staircase, decorate the banister. Use garland, tinsel, holly or even holiday greeting cards. Finally, if your apartment is furnished with a fireplace, decorate the mantel. I've placed a two-foot tall animated and musical Santa on my mantel. I hope my blog gives you some fun decorating ideas for your small home.
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Rodents like mice and rabbits can damage trees over the winter. The rodents can eat the bark all around the bottom of a tree. The nutrients from photosynthesis travel from the leaves down to the roots via the bark. If the bark is completely removed around the bottom of a tree, the flow of nutrients will be cut-off and the tree will essentially starve to death during the warmer months. You need to react immediately when you notice that rodents are eating all the bark around a tree. Here is how you can prevent the rodents from feeding on the bark during the winter.
Wire Mesh
Wire mesh is an effective deterrent against rodents gaining access to a tree. You will want mesh wire that is at least ¼ inch thick. The netting on the mesh should be small enough to prevent mice and from squeezing through the openings. Place the mesh completely around the tree. The mesh should be placed at least two inches into the ground to hold it in place and keep rodents from digging into the frozen ground to get to the tree. The mesh should also be placed at least 18 inches above the expected snow line snow the rodents don't walk on the snow to climb over the mesh and gain access to the tree. If you are going to keep the mesh around a tree year-round, make sure that the tree trunk has room to expand as it grows without damaging the mesh wire.
Remove Mulch
Mulch can be an attractive addition to the bottom of trees. The mulch helps to control weeds around trees on manicured lawns and it helps to keep the ground moist – which benefits the roots. However, it can also serve as a hiding place for mice that can chew on the bark during the winter. Mice do not like to be out in the open and they can use the mulch to hide their presence. At the start of winter, you should rake the mulch back a foot or two from the base of the tree to make the mice uncomfortable about being out in the open as they feed on the bark.
Spray Repellents on Trees
Fungicide repellents can be sprayed onto trees to make the bark less attractive to eat. Fungicides that contain thiram as an active ingredient have been shown to work well to repel rodents. Spray the repellent all around the bottom part of the tree. You will need to reapply the repellent every couple of weeks and after heavy rains and snowfalls.
Rodents eating the bark around your trees can cause a lot of damage. As soon as you notice rodent damage, you should institute measures to keep the rodents away from the bark to keep the tree healthy during the winter. Contact a company like Qualitree Inc for more information.
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