Make sure your pet isn't eating seed below bird feeder

If you feed birds in your garden, then it is a good idea to stop your dog (if you have one) from eating the fallen birdseed.

The birdseed alone is probably not going to cause too many problems, unless he eats so much that his intestines become impacted. Should a dog develop a large amount of gas in the stomach from the seeds fermenting, it can cause the stomach to bloat, which can lead to a condition in which the stomach twists on itself. This is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate emergency veterinary attention.

Most dogs can pass small amounts of ingested bird seed. Another area of concern is that your dog can eat bird droppings, which may contain salmonella bacteria along with the birdseed.

Salmonella can cause severe digestive upset with lots of vomiting and diarrhea, which can be fatal in very young or old dogs. The salmonella bacteria can also be passed on to you.

• Monitor broad-leaved evergreens such as boxwood, rhododendron and holly, and needled evergreens such as yew and arborvitae, for winter burn. Winter burn is a cultural condition that affects plants that do not lose their leaves over the winter. Leaves turn yellow and then brown in response to specific weather conditions. Leaves do not actually burn but rather dry up. Salt spray from vehicle traffic can also damage foliage.

Symptoms of winter burn typically appear first in late winter and accelerate in early spring. Various conditions combine to cause leaves to dry out. Mild winter temperatures and warm winter sun prompt leaves to process water, which cannot be replaced if the ground is either frozen or very dry. Winter winds also contribute to the problem.

Winter burn is common after extremely cold and extremely mild winters, and, in both cases, it is exacerbated by lack of snow or rain in combination with strong winds and abundant sun.

It is best to wait until new growth appears in many situations before pruning out damaged areas, if you are not sure whether or not the sections are completely dead. I have seen boxwood with an overall brownish cast in very early spring that completely greened up later in the season. In general, it is a good idea to plant broad-leaved evergreens where they will have some protection from winter sun and wind.

• Tim Johnson is director of horticulture at Chicago Botanic Garden, chicagobotanic.org.