Find plants in your neighborhood that provide winter interest

Q. Any suggestions for "gardening chores" inside during the winter months?

A. Many garden tasks that have been overlooked during the busier spring, summer and fall can be taken on now during this slower cold season. Here are four suggestions for starting off on the right foot before the new gardening cycle begins:

1. Assess your garden tools for their usefulness: Are they still in good shape or are they beyond repair and need to be replaced? If still useful, do they need to be professionally sharpened? Or do they need to be simply cleaned, disinfected and oiled? Doing this now can protect plant health and be a timesaver in the spring. For more, go to gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu, and search for "cleaning and disinfecting tools."

2. Check the expiration dates on herbicides, fertilizer and pesticides: If any of these are past the expiration date, they should be discarded properly. Read the product label to learn about the storage and disposal practices that need to be followed. Always keep the product in its original container. Find out where your city or township has a disposal facility and when it is open. A helpful national resource for these products is the National Pesticide Information Center (npic.orst.edu/health/disposal.html) or call 1-800-CLEANUP.

3. Clean and refill the bird feeder: Use feed for the birds you hope to attract (see this guide to learn more about the different types of bird feeders: www.audubon.org/sites/default/files/audubon_guide_to_bird_feeders.pdf). Living as we do in the Mississippi flyway, many birds visit our area during their migration to more southern parts, and their journey is an arduous one. An alternative method to feeding birds is to leave your yard (or at least your backyard) a bit rumpled: the leaves, twigs, berries and spent flower heads are breeding grounds for the insects and butterfly larvae that are the natural food for birds (see www.audubon.org/news/to-help-birds-winter-go-easy-fall-yard-work.)

4. Although not an indoor chore, do go outside and take a walking tour of your neighborhood. Consider which trees, shrubs and grasses are most appealing to you in this winter landscape. Look for trees and shrubs with interesting shapes, unusual bark or colorful berries - these are things that catch the eye in the winter, but may not be apparent earlier in the year. If your neighbors are friendly, ask for the names of the plants you like; they will undoubtedly be pleased to know their garden is an object of admiration. Going a step further: Ask them if they would be willing to share where they were purchased.

- Arlene Swartzman

• Provided by Master Gardeners through the Master Gardener Answer Desk, Friendship Park Conservatory, Des Plaines, and University of Illinois Extension, North Cook Branch Office, Arlington Heights. Call (847) 298-3502 on Wednesdays or email northcookmg@gmail.com. Visit web.extension.illinois.edu/mg.