The Cicadas are Coming!
As you probably have read, Brood II of the 17-year cicada is due to emerge from the ground this year. There seems to be some undue panic associated with this. Here is the story. Cicadas are insects that spend most…
Bees! And Hummingbirds, Too.
The butterflies are mostly gone for the season, but bees are still going strong. And nowhere do I see more evidence of that than in the Perennials Department at Behnkes, where I took these photos and could have bee-watched all…
The Low-Maintenance, Organic Way to Deal with Pests
Carol Allen may be a plant geek, horticulturist and organic gardener, but she’s also a self-professed LAZY gardener. So when she teaches her favorite ways of dealing with garden pests, you know it’ll be the most effective, easiest to do,…
How I invite birds into my garden
Over the years I have been adding more native plants to provide better food sources for birds and I have gotten rid of most of my lawn and replaced it with ornamental perennials, trees and shrubs. If I am spending…
Miri’s Butterfly and Hummingbird Tips
Behnkes buyer and well known native-lover Miri Talabac has lots of tips for people who want butterflies and hummingbirds in their gardens. In her recent talk about these popular critters she started with making a pitch for WHY to include…
The Great Backyard Bird Count is this Weekend!
The 15th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count is this weekend -Feb. 17 – 20 (2012). It’s a four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across…
So Much to Know about Winter Birds, and How to Learn
Attending Natalie Brewer’s talk for Behnkes about bird feeders convinced me that there’s way more to know about attracting and feeding birds than I ever imagined. She touched on the habits of just a few of the common winter birds…
Holiday Lights and Wildlife-Friendly Gardening Tips at the National Zoo
Something new caught my eye during my most recent visit to the National Zoo – an exhibit called Zoo in your Backyard – and it’s one that hits close to home for us gardeners and really, all homeowners. It makes…
Birds in Winter: To Feed or Not to Feed?
It’s an age-old question – to feed or not to feed the wild songbirds that come so willingly to our yards in the cold of winter. Some people believe that feeding wild birds can cause more harm than good and…
How to Attract Hummingbirds
In the East, the only type of hummingbird we have all summer, I’m told, is the ruby-throated type. They’re very territorial, so to attract more than one you may need to use several feeders 30 feet apart, out of sight…
Butterfly Gardening – The Why and The How
Why Grow a Butterfly Garden? To help preserve these beloved insects, whose habitat areas are fast disappearing. Watching them is fun and educational in a way that connects you and your kids to nature. It’s a giant step toward getting…
Turn your Garden into a Wildlife Habitat
Ever noticed a sign that says “Certified Wildlife Habitat Backyard”? It means the homeowners are providing the essentials for wildlife: food, a reliable source of water, cover (like a rock pile), and places to raise young (like large shrubs or…