Hummingbird Flowers and Plants for Backyards

May 12, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing gardening tips on hummingbird flowers and plants. Hummingbirds are the smallest birds in the world.  They are fascinating creatures that eat once every 10 to 15 minutes.  As a result, they visit approximately  1,000 to 2,000 flowers per day.  Hummingbird flowers provide nectar, which they absolutely love.  Are you wondering what flowers to plant to entice them?  I have a hummingbird flowers and plants list, check it out.  

 

 

hummingbird flowers and plants

 

 

 

Hummingbird Flowers and Plants:   

 

  • Yarrow
  • Larkspur
  • Bee Balm
  • Trumpet Vine
  • Day Lilies
  • Petunias
  • Butterfly Bush
  • Honeysuckle
  • Cardinal Flower
  • Red Hot Poker
  • Zinnia
  • Sunflowers
  • Impatiens
  • Foxglove
  • Coneflowers
  • Geraniums
  • Morning Glory
  • Hollyhocks
  • Coral Bells
  • Lantana
  • Rose of Sharon
  • Cardinal Flower
  • Iris

 

My list gives a good variety of hummingbird flowers to choose from.  Hummingbirds love red and yellow, so choose as many red and yellow flowers as you can.  The petunias in the window boxes on my deck never fail to bring hummingbirds.  So, tubular flowers are excellent choices.    

 

Hummingbird Flowers and Plants Provide Nectar:  

Also, these flowers provide nectar, which makes up 90% of a hummingbird’s diet.  Furthermore, nectar provides energy.  In additional to planting these flowers, hang a nectar feeder.  They are inexpensive and hummingbirds love them.  Red feeders with yellow ports are just what the hummingbird ordered.  To help hummingbirds find your feeders. tie a red ribbon close to the feeder.  

So, you can purchase nectar food packets at a local store.  However, I suggest that you save your money and use the ingredients that you have on hand.  I try to provide natural products to my backyard birds when possible.  As a result, use the natural nectar recipe below.  

 

 

 

hummingbird flower and plants

 

Hummingbird Nectar Recipe: 

  • 4 cups of water
  • 1 cup sugar 

 

  1.  Boil 4 cups of water. 
  2.  Add 1 cup of white granulated sugar.
  3.  Mix the sugar and water until the sugar is dissolved. 
  4.  Once the sugar is dissolved, continue to boil mixture for 2 additional minutes. 
  5.  Allow the mixture to cool thoroughly. 
  6.  Pour nectar into clean hummingbird feeders.

 

Attracting Hummingbirds to Feeders:    

Change the nectar every 3 – 5 days.  Be sure to clean your feeder too.  This will keep bacteria from invading your feeder.  See my post on how to clean bird feeders.

Set up territories in your yard, and place a feeder in each territory.  This will attract more hummingbirds to your backyard.  

Also, hummingbirds like to perch.  So, leave branches with open tips on them where hummingbirds can preen and rest.  They should be placed near nectar feeders or flowers that they love.  

Last, hummingbirds prefer to bath by flying through water mist.  Place a water mister in your birdbath.  If you can place it near the nectar feeder or among your flowers the hummingbirds will love you for it.    

I hope that you will plant a few hummingbird flowers and plants either in your garden, shrubbery bed or in containers.  Your hummingbirds will love you for them.  You may also like Hummingbirds.  

 

 

Filed Under: Backyard Birds, Flower Gardens Tagged With: , , ,

Health Benefits of Gardening for Beginners

May 11, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing beginner gardening tips on health benefits of gardening. Many people believe that gardening is difficult.  However, if you take small steps, you can become a successful gardener.  Furthermore, you can garden in a small space or in containers.  You don’t need a large tilled plot like our grandparents had to grow your own produce and flowers.    

 You can grow fruit and vegetable or flowers.  However, most gardeners do a little of both.  Trying your hand at growing all is fun and very fulfilling.  Most importantly, gardeners reap health benefits from gardening.  Unfortunately, many beginner gardeners don’t realize the health benefits associated with gardening.  Furthermore, there are many people period who don’t know about the health benefits of gardening.  

 

Areas of Health Benefit That Benefit from Gardening 

Gardening has been proven to have physical, mental and physiological health benefits.  Personally, I have found that gardening makes me happy.   Endorphins stimulate feelings of self-satisfaction, happiness, positivity, and reduces stress and pain.  

 

 

 

health benefits of gardening

 

 

Health Benefits of Gardening: 

 

Gardening Reduces Stress

There’s nothing more peaceful than spending time in your garden nurturing what you’re growing.  Gardening allows you to focus on caring for your flowers, veggies and fruit so they can produce beautiful bouquets and fresh ingredients for your family meals.  It’s a great way to get away from life’s responsibilities, and focus on other things.  So, many people turn to gardening because it helps reduce stress.  

 

Gardening Provides Exercise

Gardening is not only great for your mental health, it provide physical benefits too.  Gardening provides your body with at least some level of low impact exercise, which is always a benefit with any activity.  You bend, reach, lift light items, pull and walk.  It gets you using muscles and joints that you may not have used in a while. You may feel stiff the first few days, but afterward you will look forward to the exercise.   

 

Great Way to Socialize

Furthermore, join a gardening plant exchange group.  There are plenty of gardeners in your local area who are willing to help new gardeners.  They exchange seeds, plants and advice.  It’s a great way to meet people who have a gardening interest. I have made new friends from the groups that I have joined. 

 

 


Infographic Design By Trim That Weed

 

Gardening Get Your Moving

Last, gardening if a great way to get off the couch, out of bed and on your feet too.  It’s the perfect way to get a healthy dose of sunshine.  So, turn off the TV and start listening to your favorite songs on your playlist while you’re pulling weeds, planting veggies or beautiful flowers.  

 

You will find that at the end of the day, gardening is a fulfilling and peaceful hobby that anyone can get into.  It just requires patience and a desire to learn gardening basics.  Furthermore, it allows you to reach out other gardeners. 

So, get ready to move and reap the health benefits of gardening.  You will be growing you own fresh produce and beautiful flowers in no time.   You may also like Healthy Gardening for Beginners too.  

 

 

Filed Under: Flower Gardens, Vegetable Garden Tagged With: , , ,

Best Vegetables for Container Gardening

April 15, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing beginner gardening tips on best vegetables for container gardening. Do you think you can’t garden because you don’t have a garden plot, raised beds or simply don’t have space?  Wrong, if you have a patio, balcony or a small area of ground space you can garden.  The possibilities of what you can grow in containers is endless.

Furthermore, there are plants and seeds that are grown specifically for patio or small garden spaces. Look for container or patio varieties for small spaces.  These plants and or seeds are grown specifically for patio and small garden spaces.

 

Best Vegetables for Container Gardening

 

Also, if you’re wondering what containers to use for your vegetables, you can use 5 gallon buckets, large flower pots, grow bags, plastic or galvanized tubs to grow vegetables  The key is to make sure the containers have drainage holes and are large and deep enough to house your plants.  Grow bags don’t require drainage holes drilled into them.   

 

 

best vegetables for container gardening

 

 

Best Vegetables for Container Gardening:   

 

Growing Tomatoes in Buckets or Containers:

  • Tom Thumb
  • Sun Gold
  • Roma
  • Red Robin
  • Plum Regal
  • Sunrise Sauce
  • Tomato Patio
  • Bush Early Girl
  • Tiny Tim
  • Husky Red

 

So, these tomatoes are great container gardening varieties to grow.  Plan tomatoes in large buckets from Lowes or Home Depot, or your local paint store, flower pots, or grow bags.  These are all perfect for growing on a patio or deck. However, you will need to drill holes in the bottom of the containers for drainage.  But, if you’re using grow bags you don’t needs holes drilled into them. But, make sure you drill holes in the bottom of your containers. Furthermore, make sure your containers are deep enough to house the tomatoes.  Tomatoes need to be planted deep.  

 

 

 

best vegetables for container gardening

 

 

 


 

 

Growing Basil in Containers: 

  • Spicy Globe
  • Genovese
  • Sweet Basil
  • Purple Ruffles
  • Dark Opal
  • Cinnamon
  • Lemon

Next, grow basil in regular flower pots, colanders, baskets, grow bags or flower bed borders.

 

Best Carrots for Container Gardening: 

  • Kaleidoscope
  • Thumbelina
  • Little Fingers
  • Scarlet Nantes
  • Short and Sweet

All of these carrot varieties are great for containers.  Just make sure your containers are deep enough for the carrot to grown down and straight in the pot.  

 

Growing Lettuce For Container Gardening: 

  • Romaine
  • Buttercrunch
  • Black Seeded Simpson
  • Arugula
  • Gourmet Blend
  • Spring Mix  

I love fresh lettuce for my BLTs in the summer.  Additionally, I love to use the long window boxes to grow my lettuce.  You can set the planters on your patio or deck for easy access.  You can also use baskets, colanders, buckets, tubs and chair planters to grow this delicious treat.  

 

Best Radishes For Container Gardening: 

  • Cherry Belle
  • French Breakfast
  • Gourmet Blend
  • Fire and Ice
  • Pink Beauty

These radishes can be grown in a variety of containers.  They can be grown in raised beds, flower pots, baskets, colanders, galvanized tubs or buckets. These are a few varieties that can be grown in a container.  

 

Best Herbs for Container Gardening: 

  • Rosemary
  • Oregano
  • Mint
  • Basil
  • Thyme
  • Sage

Herbs can grown in pots, mason jars, buckets, baskets, colanders and other containers with drainage.  You can also plant herbs in flower beds or borders, rock gardens or raised beds too.  

 

 

best vegetables for containers

 

 

 

Cucumbers

  • Bush Cucumber
  • Space Master
  • Salad Bush
  • Salty and Crispy
  • Burpless

These cucumber have been given a thumbs up by container gardeners around the world. Furthermore, they don’t require a trellis to support their growth.  Flowers pots, 5 gallon buckets or grow bags will house these delicious treats.  

 

Potatoes

  • Red Norland
  • Yukon Gold
  • Adirondack Blue
  • Red Pontiac
  • Fingerlings
  • Russet
  • Kennebec

Potatoes can be planted in grow bags, 5 gallon buckets or contractor garbage bags.  I use contractor garbage bags for my leaf and shrubbery cuttings.  They are much studier and stronger than regular lawn bags.  However, you will need to poke holes in the bottom of the bag.  You can use a stick or skewer to poke holes in the bag.  Make sure you make the holes big enough for water to drain out.  You will need to drill holes in your 5 gallon buckets too.

 

 

best vegetables for containers

 

 

Peppers

  • Mini Belle
  • Jalapeno
  • Cayenne F1
  • Banana
  • Bulgarian Carrots
  • Super Chili
  • Mohawk Patio


Last, look for container variety peppers.  Grow bags or 5 gallon buckets with holes drilled in the bottom are perfect for growing peppers. Use a tomato cage or sticks to stake your belle peppers.

Finally, start small by selecting a few vegetables from my list.  And, add a few more veggies to your container garden next year.  You may also like easiest flowers and vegetables for pots.  

 

Filed Under: Vegetable Garden

Using Banana Peels as Fertilizer

March 29, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing gardening tips on using banana peels as fertilizer for beginner gardeners. I love recycling and upcycling things, and banana peels just happens to be one of those things.  So, I’ve found ways to use in banana peels in my gardens and I make a banana tea fertilizer for my plants.  Read on for this simple fertilizer recipe. 

 

 

banana peel fertilizer

 

 

 

Using Banana Peels as Fertilizer

Making banana peel fertilizer is easy and beneficial to both flower and vegetable garden.  Bananas are a great source of potassium, sodium, iron, zinc, and manganese, all of which plants need for healthy growth and blooms. 

Furthermore, potassium helps plants use water better and be more drought resistant.  Because it contains no nitrogen, it is perfect for low nitrogen plants like tomatoes and peppers. Banana peels contain calcium, which helps prevent blossom end rot.  You can also use the fertilizer on flowers, house plants and roses. 

 

  • Remove any stickers from the bananas.
  • Place 1 – 2 banana peels in a quart jar. 
  • Cover banana peels with rain water if available or regular water. 
  • Cover quart jar loosely with a top.  
  • Allow peels to stand in water for 48 hours to a week.  
  • Remove banana peels from the jar, and chop them into small pieces.  
  • Bury the banana peels beneath your plants when planting your garden and posts.
  • Store the fertilizer in a pitcher or gallon jug until ready to use. 
  • Water the plants at the base with the banana peel fertilizer.  

 

 

banana peel fertilizer

 

 

Furthermore, you can save banana peels throughout the year by freezing them.  You can make the fertilizer with fresh or frozen banana peels.  I freeze banana peels all year to ensure that I have enough to make fertilizer throughout the gardening season.  Once used they can be tossed into your compost bin. 

You can also lightly mist your tomato and pepper plants throughout the growing season. Place your fertilizer in a spray bottle and mist.  Don’t saturate your plants, a light mist will do.  Pepper and tomato plants don’t like to stay wet too long.

Try using banana peel fertilizer on your plants this growing season.  You’ll give them the boost they need to produce delicious fruit, vegetables and flowers.  You may also like:  Building Healthy Soil.

 

Filed Under: Vegetable Garden Tagged With: , , ,

Easiest Plants to Grow In Your Garden

March 26, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing gardening tips on the easiest plants to grow in your garden.   Growing a flower garden is probably among the most satisfying activities you can do.  But, it can also be a very unpredictable experience too.  For example, you may get amazing results one year and pests and disease catastrophe the next. Also, you’ll quickly learn that some growing conditions are easier to deal with than others.  But, in most cases it comes down to choosing the right plants.

Whatever the challenge, there are always ways to solve these problems.  Experienced gardeners understand this, but it might get tough or frustrating for beginner gardeners. The key is to plant healthy plants that are native to your area.

 

Benefits of Native Plants: 

  • Already acclimated to your area
  • Requires less watering
  • No fertilizer needed
  • Not invasive
  • Better for pollinators

 

 

easy to grow plants

 

 

 

Easiest Plants to Grow Plants:

 

Butterfly Bush

 

The butterfly bush attracts butterflies and pollinators such as hummingbirds and honeybees. However, this bush can become is quite large plant growing up to 8 feet high and 5 feet wide if not contained.  It has strong, woody stalks, and in colder zones it dies back each winter.

However, a little pruning in early spring will have your plants looking good as new. Your bushes should be pruned each spring down to 8 to 12 inches to boost its growth. You can also find dwarf varieties which are more convenient for smaller gardens. The plants come in a number of colors such as yellow, pink, purple, red and white, and love full sun exposure with a medium amount of moisture.

 

 

easy to grow plants

 

 

Lavender

 

Lavender comes in many varieties and is quite a short-lived perennial.  But, if you’re looking to add a fragrant element to your garden, this plant is the perfect addition. The color varies from light blue and purple to pale blue and white.  Its perfumed quality make it an attractive addition to any garden. Lavender can also be used in cooking as well as the dried, which is also more potent in smell and flavor. The plant grows to about 20 inches and blooms in late spring/early summer.  It enjoys full sun. Having shallow roots, lavender declines in wetter conditions so it needs less moisture and well-drained soil.

 

Daisies – Yarrow, Aster, and Tickseed

 

The daisy family is quite large, offering a great range of plants to choose from. Starting with yarrow, this plant is quite sturdy with lacy leaves and a wide variety of colors. It’s easy to grow in any well-drained soil, loves the sun, and tends to spread heartily, crowding other plants.

You can find it in pastel colors but also in deep red, rust, white and yellow. It grows up to 4 feet and blooms throughout summer and into fall. Prune it following the blooming period and make sure to remove the dead stalks when the season is over.

Aster is another daisy family member that is a late-season bloomer with a color variety ranging from white, blue and lavender. This will bring pops of color to your garden after most other perennials have finished their bloom. Bear in mind that it needs well-drained soil with medium moisture and slightly acidic conditions. It’s a self-sow plant that grows up to 4 feet in height requiring its root groups to be divided every few years.

Similar to most members of the perennial daisy family, tickseed or coreopsis is a durable choice that’s quite easy to grow. It reaches 3 feet in height and blooms much longer than other perennials, over the whole summer into late fall. You can divide the plants into several smaller ones every couple of years. They react well to pruning or shearing by producing new flower buds. These come in varieties of yellow, pink, red, orange, or a combination of the two. They also love the sun and dry to medium moisture.

 

Cineraria

 

Cineraria is a warm-weather perennial that prefers shade and is typically grown as an annual. It is a clustering plant that grows up to 12 inches in height. It’s frequently planted in containers and produces beautiful purple, white, or blue daisy-like flowers that combine perfectly with ferns.

This plant reseeds itself, and it can grow in surprisingly shallow, but cool and well-drained soil. It does require moderate moisture as constant wetness causes the roots to rot. On the other hand, underwatering will hinder its bloom as well.

 

Daylily

 

The daylily is one of the oldest and best groups of ornamental perennials.  It has countless varieties available. Its upright flower stems grow from 2 to 5 feet producing trumpet-like flowers.  Unfortunately, many blooms only last for one day. Colors range from red, purple, orange, white, and yellow to bi-color combinations. It’s very well-suited for beginner gardeners as they are very resistant to common insects and diseases.

Most daylily types bloom for several weeks during summer.  However, some repeat their blooming cycle giving your garden lively colors throughout all summer. So, daylilies spread in clumps and should be divided every three years.  Overcrowding hinders flowering. Daylilies require sunny to partially sunny conditions with medium wet, well-drained soil.

 

 

easy to grow plants

 

 

 

Oriental Lily

 

The Oriental lilies are a great transitory flower.  They bloom in early summer after the Asiatic lilies have blossomed and before most other lily varieties have begun. Oriental Lilies are planted as bulbs, and gradually spread. Lilies love rich to medium moisture, well-drained, and slightly acidic soil.

They can grow from 1 to 8 feet in height with a wide range of blooming colors such as red, orange, pink yellow, and white. Lilies are quite fragrant and if you remove withered flowers, you’ll boost additional blooming.

 

 These Plants Are Also Colorful

 

Gardening can be an excellent way to express your creativity. Furthermore, it’s a great benefit to your health and wellbeing.  Additionally, achieving a lust, beautiful and lovely smelling ideal garden can be incredibly rewarding. Allow yourself to explore different ideas and layouts, mixing different plants and flowers to create a garden that will be fragrant and colorful throughout spring, summer and fall.

 

Add a few of my suggested easy to grow plants and flowers to your backyard.  You will be enjoying beautiful flowers, butterflies and bouquets of lilies in no time.  

Filed Under: Flower Gardens Tagged With: , , ,

Native American Herbs and Remedies

March 24, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing gardening tips on Native American herbs and remedies.  Native Americans were foremost in medicinal plants and remedy knowledge. The medicine man watched animals and what they ate when they were sick.  To ensure they were enough plants for the animals and for their tribe, they picked every third plant. 

Furthermore, Native Americans believed in a spiritual life.  They believe that a healthy person had to have a sense of purpose.  Additionally, they need to live righteously, and have a harmonious and balanced life.  Native Americans used different plants and herbs for thousands of years.  Before modern medicine remedies were available, the tribes had mastered the use of medicinal plants.  Many of their remedies still exist today.  Fortunately, many of the plants and herbs can be grown in your backyard.  

 

 

Native American Medicinal Plants

 

 

Native American Herbs:   

 

Blackberries – The Cherokee tribe used blackberries to help calm stomach pain. Today, scientific research has revealed that blackberries are rich in antioxidants.  Antioxidants can help reduce stomach pain. Native Americans would grind up the roots and mix them with honey. This resulting recipe would calm stomach problems, reduce coughs, soothe mouth stores, and relieve sore throats. However, today you can simply eat blackberries or make a tea.  

 

Dandelions – Native Americans were the first to use dandelions medically.  So, they used dandelion leaves to help alleviate a sore throat.  Furthermore, they used dandelions as a diuretic.  You can simply make a dandelion tea today.  Also, you can make a dandelion salad (where you eat the leaves) to help alleviate a sore throat.  Dandelions can be used to make salves, lotions and more too. 

 

 

Native American medicinal plants

 

 

 

Mint – The Cherokees made mint tea to soothe an upset stomach and to lower high blood pressure.  They also made a salve from the leaves to relieve itching skin and rashes.

 

Rosemary – Rosemary was a sacred plant to Native American tribes.  They used Rosemary to alleviate joint pain. Furthermore, Rosemary helps improves memory and circulatory.  Some use for the nervous systems problems. It also improves the immune system and treats indigestion.

 

 

Lavender – The Native Americans used the scent from lavender to to ease headaches.  It was also used in  getting to sleep. Making lavender oil is incredibly easy. Simply steep the sprigs in olive oil (or water if you’re in a survival situation). 

 

Yarrow – The Cherokee tribe used yarrows to make tea.  To make a tea, you will need to dry the yarrow.  Once the yarrow is dried, add a teaspoon to a cup of water.  Boil it for 10 minutes, strain the leaves, and enjoy. 

 

 

 

medicinal herbs and remedies

 

 

Last, I hope that you found my information on Native American herbs and remedies helpful, and you will start using them to brew teas, infuse oils, make soap, salves and more. Visit your local nursery for plants or grow your own in your backyard and start creating your own medicinal garden.  

 

Filed Under: Wild Herbs and Plants Tagged With: , , ,

Growing Pepper Plants From Seed for Beginners

March 4, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing gardening tips on growing pepper plants from seed in your backyard garden.  Peppers find a spot in my garden every season.  I grow them from seed.  So, my harvest includes lots of Jalepeno, Belle peppers of every color, chili peppers and sweet banana peppers.   

 

Growing Pepper Plants From Seed

 

I start my seeds using the winter sowing method about 8 – 10 weeks before I plant them in my garden. You can also grow pepper plants from seed under grow lights.  Actually, peppers have a lot of requirements that the tomato has.  So, I actually start my tomato seeds the same time I start my peppers.  Furthermore, I plant my tomatoes and peppers at the same time in the garden and in the same vicinity.  Since they have the same needs, I can water and fertilizer them at the same time.  

 

Correct Spacing for Pepper Plants 

If you decide to grow both, make sure you give your tomato plants more space to grow.  They will be taller and grow wider than pepper plants.  Both need full sun, at least 6 – 8 hours of sunlight per day is good. As a result, I plant my tomatoes in one or two rolls and my peppers in another roll with 3 feet of space between them. You want to make sure your plants have good air circulation. 

Also, plant your tomato at least 24 inches apart.  You will need to get between them harvest your delicious treats and maintain them.  I plant my peppers about 20 inches apart.  So, lets focus on peppers.  

 

 

growing pepper plants from seed

 

 

Decide the type of peppers that you want to grow.  If you don’t want to grow them from seed, or you’re simply not ready to take that step, it’s all good.  You can purchase plants from the local nursery.  Better yet, you may find a local gardener who has too many plants and would love for you to take them off their hands.

My family eats a lot of hot spicy foods, so jalapenos are a must.  I also plant a variety of belle peppers.  I freeze them to add to chili, salsa or other foods during the winter.  They’re also great fresh on a vegetable tray for a BBQ, girls night or baby shower.  Chili peppers are great in salsa or chili too.  My point, grow what you and your family will eat.  

 

 

how to grow peppers

 

 

 

Planting Pepper Plants in Your Garden: 

 

  • Once the ground has thawed and is workable, transplant your seedlings to a container or plant in your garden. If you’re using a container make sure it is large enough for the plant to grow in and you can fit a stake or trellis in.  They have small stakes and trellis for containers. You can make one out of a small branch or find one at your local garden center. 
  • Add lots of compost or organic matter to your soil while preparing your soil.  I use composted leaves; however, I use Black Cow compost too.  
  • Plant your peppers so they are sitting at ground level in the pot.  Remove the plant and backfill your hole.
  • Water thoroughly and regularly until the plants are established.  I’m in Zone 6B.  In July and August, I still have to water my garden regularly.

 

how to grow peppers

 

 

  • Stake your pepper plants.  I use untreated garden stakes from Home Depot.  
  • Mulch your plants with chopped leaves or straw.  
  • You will need to tie your pepper plants to the stakes so they don’t touch the ground when fruit develops.  So, it’s important that you put your stake in place when you plant your seedings or plants.  You can cut an old tee-shirt into strips, panty hose, use yard or whatever soft material you have on hand.  Don’t have time to cut up tees or hose, purchase twist ties from your local Dollar Store.  You can save them from year to year, I do. 

 

I love being able to walk down to my garden and pick a few peppers off the vine for whatever dish I’m making.  Home grown peppers have a different flavor from the store brought variety.  As a result, I grow enough to preserve during the winter months.  There’s nothing like locking in freshness and saving it for another day.  

Start growing pepper plants from seed with a goal of germinating one or two plants.  If you enjoy nurturing and enjoying fresh peppers start planning to grow more for next year. It’s always best to start small and increase your plants.  
Filed Under: Vegetable Garden Tagged With: , , ,

Attracting the Pileated Woodpecker

March 1, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing tips backyard birding tips on Attracting the Pileated Woodpecker. The Pileated Woodpecker is the largest member of the woodpecker family.  It’s beautiful red crest comes from the Latin word Pileatus, which means capped.  

The Pileated Woodpeckers are huge birds, and absolutely beautiful.  Because they birds are so large, having large, standing trees is a must if you want to attract them to your backyard.  If you don’t have large trees on your property, having woods nearby or on an adjoining property will do.  Pileated Woodpeckers love to munch on ants, beetles, wild fruits and nuts.  They are known to pull bark off trees to feast on ants.  Furthermore, they need large trees to bore large holes for nests.  The female pileated woodpeckers selects her mate based on the best nest sight for her babies. If it’s not a large tree with nice big holes, he can forget it.  

 

 

attracting the pileated woodpecker

 

 

Although, the Pileated Woodpecker loves insects and wild fruit, they also love suet.  Yep, suet is the key to attracting the Pileated Woodpecker to your backyard. I’ve used both commercial and homemade suet cakes in my attempt to lure this big guy.  He will visit the feeder when it contains the commercial suet, but I see him 4 – 5 times a day when I offer my homemade suet. These pictures are of my big boy eating my homemade suet cake.  The female hasn’t visited so far.  You can tell the difference between the male and female by the stripes on their cheeks.  The male has a red stripe and the female black. 

 

Attracting the Pileated Woodpecker:  

 

Here’s a few of my homemade suet recipes:  

Crunchy Apple Raisin Suet Cake Recipe

Carrot Raisin Suet Cake Recipe

 

 

attracting the pileated woodpecker

 

 

 

Offering suet during the winter months is a great way to give our feathered friends energy and warmth. It will help them survive the cold winter months.  

Also, if your goal is attracting the pileated woodpecker to your backyard, you will need a pileated woodpecker suet cage.  If one is unavailable another large long tail suet cage will work. A long tail prop is needed so the woodpecker’s tail feathers can rest while they’re hanging on the cage.  

Whip up a batch of my homemade suet cakes, and you will have this beautiful creature devouring them in not time.  Stay tuned for additional posts on homemade suet cake recipes.

Filed Under: Backyard Birds Tagged With: , , ,

Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle

February 15, 2021 by Leave a Comment

The Stages of a Monarch Butterfly is a great way to understand the Monarch Butterfly life cycle.    Sadly, the Monarch Butterfly has declined over the years.  Milkweed is the host plant for Monarchs.  However, farmers are no planting milkweed. So, communities, home gardeners and the government are trying to help Monarchs rebound by planting milkweed.

When you see a Monarch Butterfly, you will be in awe.  Monarchs have yellow, black and white stripes.  They migrate to and from Central Mexico.  Monarchs are unable to survive cold weather, so they migrate to warmer climates.  It takes 2 months for them to complete their journey.  They travel 50 – 100 miles per day to reach their destination.

Sadly, without milkweed Monarch Butterflies are unable to lay their eggs or feed during their journey as caterpillars.

 

 

stages of a monarch butterfly

 

 

 

Stage 1 –  Eggs are Laid –  So, female monarch butterflies lay approximately 400 – 1200 eggs in their lifetime.  They lay their eggs exclusively on  milkweed plants.  As a result, females search for milkweed to lay their eggs. The female will taste the milkweed to ensure it’s acceptable before she starts laying her eggs. It takes approximately 4 days for an to hatch.  Once the hatchling emerges, it will eat its shell for nutrition.

Stage 2 – Caterpillars Emerge – Once hatched, caterpillars grow quickly and shed its skin 5 times during it’s growth cycle.

 

 

monarch butterfly life cycle

 

 

Stage 3 – Builds Chrysalis – When fully grown, a Monarch caterpillar will find a suitable place to make a chrysalis.  It will attach a wad of silk and hang from it in a J before it build its chrysalis.  The monarch butterfly chrysalis is a beautiful jade green with yellow dots.  The chrysalis below was found in one of the community gardens that I volunteer in.

 

 

monarch butterfly chrysalis

 

 

 

Stage 4 – Butterfly Emerges – The chrysalis will become transparent in about 10 – 14 days. You’ll be able to see the wing colors and pattern of the Monarch Butterfly forming.  At this stage, the Monarch Butter pushes it pushes its way out of the chrysalis  during mid-morning. E-close is simply the butterfly emerging.

Most importantly, the Monarch will hang from the chrysalis for approximately 2  – 3 hours allowing its wings to fill up with fluid and dry. After its wings are dry, they will take flight.

 

Adult butterflies will feed on nectar from blooming native plants including milkweed.  I hope that you liked my post on the Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle.  If you want to attract Monarch Butterflies, plant lots of milkweed and native plants.  This is a great project to do with your kids.  Finally, see my Native Plant List for Zone 6B. 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Pollinators Tagged With: , , ,

How to Germinate Seeds for Your Garden

February 14, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing gardening tips on how to germinate seeds for your garden.  Getting a jump start on your garden is a great thing, especially if you have a short growing season like me.  So, I’m sharing this valuable information with you today. 

So, starting my seeds early takes away the winter blues for me.  It gets me excited about the upcoming gardening season, and all of the delicious vegetables and beautiful flowers I will be nurturing.

Furthermore, if you want a successful growing season you must prepare.  Preparation starts long before you step into your garden.  So, investing a little time and energy to perform certain tasks will go a long way in making your gardening season a success.  Your first step is germinating your seeds. Lets go.

 

 

seed starting tips

 

 

How to Germinate Seeds for Your Garden:

 

Clean and Sterilize Containers – Sterilizing your seed starting containers before planting your seeds is imperative. If you’re using containers other than peat pots, wash them in hot, soapy water.  Rinse well, and take it a step further.  Soak them in bleach water or spray with a peroxide and water solution.  Wipe well and allow to air dry.

 

Use Seed Starter Mix  – There are a many seed starter mixtures on the market, so choose wisely.  There’s Jiffy, Black Gold, Miracle Gro  or make your own.

 

Generate Heat for Seedlings  – Seedlings don’t need light to germinate, but they do need heat.  I highly recommend using heat mats.  I have two mats that I use to help germinate my seeds, and I love them.  You can also set your plants on top of your refrigerator if you need additional space.

 

 

 


 

 

Use a Gro-Light System – You will need light to keep your seedlings from getting leggy.  Using a lighting system will help your plants to establish strong, healthy roots.  I have two of the 4 foot grow lights.  Seedlings need at least 12  – 14 hours of light per day and a rest period of 6  – 8 hours, without light.  You can set a timer to regulate your lights.  Furthermore, the lights must be kept close to the plants so they can become established and healthy.

 

 

 


 

 

Mark Your Seedlings – Be sure to use planter markers so you will know what you planted.

 

Cover Seed Starter Pots – Cover your pots with saran wrap to help keep moisture in while your seeds are germinating.  You can remove the saran wrap one the seed germinates.  I simply place a piece of saran wrap over the pot and secure it with a light rubber band.  When I see green, I remove the saran wrap.  You want to see droplets on the plastic.  That’s a sign that your pot contains the right moisture amount.  If you don’t see a mist, gently spray the top of your pot.  Once your seed germinate, remove them the heating mat and get them under the grow lights.

 

 

 

 

 

seed starting tips

 

 

 

Pot Up When Needed  – I use peat pots or pots from the nursery to start my seeds indoors.  Sometimes plastic cups.  If my plants outgrow the pots, I will transplant them to a bigger pot.  You can use a 16 ounce cups or bigger pots for this step if you have them in smaller pots.

 

Hardening Off Plants – Seedlings that are started indoors must be acclimated to outdoor temperatures.  See my post how to harden off your seedlings.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Flower Gardens, Vegetable Garden Tagged With: , ,