Bridal Wreath Spirea

Bridal Wreath Spirea has got to be one of my favorite spring blooming plants.  I have had this particular spirea for about 7 years now and every spring it gives me a wonderful explosion of blooms.  Maybe I love it so much because it happens to be one of the first things to really show off its flowers.  These plants will grow pretty big if you let them.  The one pictured above is probably 9 feet wide and it is as tall as my fence.  It is supposed to be pruned every year after it finishes flowering in the spring yet, I have never pruned this one.  I like the way it has that natural look to it.  If you prune it in the fall it will not bloom the next spring.  It only blooms on old wood.  The bridal wreath spirea grows at a moderate rate.  It performs best in full sunlight with a moist, fertile, well-drained soil, but it is tolerant of a wide range of conditions.  You can propagate by taking cuttings and dividing.  I have not done this yet, but I think I will do it soon to this very plant.  I would love to have about 3 more of these on my property.

Helping The Monarch Butterfly

For many years now I have been trying to help grow the population of the Monarch butterfly.  I specifically grow the milkweed plants which is their host plant for laying eggs for the caterpillars to grow up feasting on.  The milkweed variety that I personally grow for the butterflies is Asclepias tuberosa.  This is the milkweed variety that has yellowish-orange and red flowers. I have seen it grow to almost 3 feet high until the caterpillars eat it all. 
Last year I didn't have hardly any monarchs in my yard.  I am not sure if it had anything to do with the drought that we were having here in Texas last year or if it is because their numbers are declining. However, this year I have lots of butterflies and caterpillars.  Right now I have about 10 coccoons and 8 baby caterpillars in my little terrarium that I keep in the house.  There are also about 8 more caterpillars in the garden that I can see.  Usually there are more, but I have so many plants in my garden (not just butterfly weed) that it is hard for me to keep count when they are in abundance.    I like to keep some, if not all, of the caterpillars in my terrarium in the house simply to protect them from predators outside.
This is how I do it.  When I am outside and I see a caterpillar, I gently pick him off of the plant (without squeezing him) and put him on one of the milkweed branches that I have clipped from a mother plant placed inside the terrarium.  The best way to pick him up is by putting your fingers under his legs and lift him off of the plant.  Sometimes, if I have just clipped off a piece of the milkweed that I was going to put into the terrarium and I take that piece and put it in front of the caterpillar.  I then very gently push his bottom, or to tenderly put it- his rear end and he should begin to move forward.  Sometimes this takes a while but it does get the caterpillar onto the plant that I plan to put into the terrarium.  They can be stubborn and not want to move.  But be patient.
Try to keep the terrarium clean.  The caterpillars will poop a lot. But it just means that they are growing.  Do not use any household cleaners to clean the terrarium.  This will more than likely  harm them.  I usually clean it out with a wet towel and once a week I use vinegar to clean it.  Vinegar is a safe non-toxic cleaner.  When using vinegar, do not clean the terrarium while the caterpillars are around.  And let the vinegar smell totally go away after cleaning it.  A lot of times I put it outside to clear the smell throughout.
I will replace the eaten milkweed with new milkweed for the caterpillars at least twice a day, maybe even more times than that.  They will shed several times.  So don't be alarmed when they don't eat for a little bit.  The caterpillars will be very still before they shed and then also after they shed.  One interesting thing that they do is after they shed they will turn around and eat their shed skin.  It may sound gross but it is just something that they do.
Now you just sit and watch your little caterpillars grow to big fat caterpillars.  Soon they will get ready to cocoon.  They will go to the top and find a place to turn into a cocoon.  Before they cocoon they will do what is called J-hooking.  They will hang upside down from the top of the terrarium and make their bodies into what looks like a J.  They may stay in this position for about a day.  Then, just when you are not looking they will go into a cocoon.  This will happen real fast.  And if you do get a chance to see it, you will totally love it.  It is really fun to watch.  They will stay in a cocoon for about a week, give or take a few days.  It depends on the temperature on your room.  When the cocoon turns black, you will be able to see the butterfly all squished up in the cocoon.  It is then ready to come out.  This usually happens sometime in the morning.  Do not take the butterfly out of the terrarium at this time.  They will need several hours to dry their wings.  I have seen with my very eyes a red wasp eat a butterfly while the butterfly's wings were too wet to fly.  I was so upset when this happened.  So I always wait until the butterfly is starting to spread his wings before I let them go outside.  After you have let a few go you will know when they are ready to go.  It is so much fun to raise caterpillars into butterflies.  I have truly enjoyed it.  And I hope that I am making a difference by helping the population and by telling everyone else how easy it is to raise their own butterflies.

Making A Bird Friendly Yard-Part 2

In my last blog post I explained what kinds of shelters you need to have a bird friendly yard.  Now I am going to talk about the other two requirements needed to attract and keep the birds around your property.

Water- A dependable source of water is critical to having birds in your area.  You can add a water feature in many different ways, such as, a pond, birdbath, a mister, dripper, and even a small waterfall.  With a pond or a waterfall you will not only attract birds but you will attract other critters like dragonflies, turtles, tadpoles and frogs, and beetles. The sound of moving water will not only relax and sooth you but will invite the wildlife that your are trying to nurture and protect.  Birds love to bath in fresh clean water.  Try to have your bird bath deep enough for birds to bath in.  You will also need to make sure that your bird bath is high enough off of the ground so that cats and other predators will not be able to get your feathered friends while they are bathing and eating.  It might be a good idea to provide perch sites and cover close by so that the birds will have a place to go when predators do decide to strike.
 Just remember to always try to keep the water source for the animals fresh and clean.

Food-  There are a variety of  trees, grasses, shrubs and flowers that are native to your area that would work perfectly for attracting birds.  They are great sources of food providing seeds, fruit, nectar, berries, and nuts. If possible, try to provide enough vegetation so the birds can find food on their own. That would be perfect in an ideal world.  But sometimes it is not possible.  So for those times you need to provide feeders for the birds.  There are many types of bird feeders out there to choose from.  You can use a type of hanging feeder, a type of ground feeder, or a suet feeder. Hanging feeders are just that, they hang from a branch or something off of the ground.  Most hanging feeders are tubular favored by chickadees, titmice, and sparrows.  Try to use good quality seed for the birds.  A good thing to remember is that different seeds will attract different birds. Sunflower seeds tend to be the number one choice for seed eating birds. Birds may toss out seeds that are not sunflower seed that come in a mixed seed bag.  If this happens it tends to be messy under the feeders and can be expensive refilling the feeders.
Ground feeders can be as simple as throwing some seed onto the driveway or on the ground for the birds to eat or can be a tray low to the ground.  Something to think about with ground feeders is that it can be a great way to distract squirrels from getting into your hanging feeders.
Suet bird feeders attract a variety of birds such as the woodpeckers. Suet feeders are hard beef fat from the kidneys and loins.  It is a good source of high energy good for the winter months.  You can make your own suet bird feeder by getting an old onion bag, place hard fat in it and place it outside on a tree limb.  You can even put seeds and raisins into the melted suet.  You can also use vegetable shortening instead of beef fat.  Be careful since beef fat can go rancid quickly, especially in the Texas heat.
Tubular feeders can be used for hummingbirds, chickadees, and titmice.  It is not necessary to color your liquid feeders with red coloring.  Place the nectar feeders out for the hummingbirds during the migration times of March through May and August through early October.  Be sure to space the feeders far enough apart from each other to avoid fighting between the hummingbirds.
You can also use platform bird feeders.  Make sure that it is away from danger of being attacked by predators.   Birds that like platforms are cardinals, white-crowned sparrows, and house finches. I have also seen doves use platform feeders.
Whichever bird feeder you choose to go with always keep the feeders clean and dry.  If feeders stay wet they can grow mold and bacteria which can make the birds sick or can even be fatal to them. Dirty feeders can also spread avian diseases.  This is just some information for attracting and keeping birds in your yard. In the near future I will talk about specifics on attracting particular bird varieties.  Until then try to stay as close to your native species when selecting plants. This is one of the best ways to attract your native birds. Take a look at nature and try to replicate it.  Happy gardening and get back to nature.

Making A Bird Friendly Yard-Part 1

Imagine a world with no birds.  It doesn't sound like a good thing.  I can't imagine not getting up everyday and listening to the birds outside. In my yard they are always flying around chasing each other and getting that bug that they have been looking for to have for dinner.  Having a bird friendly yard is a simple thing to do.  If you want birds in your yard, you will need three basic requirements for them to survive and thrive.  Shelter, Food, and Water are what birds require to call your space home.

1.Shelter.  All wildlife will need protection from weather and also from predators.  This can come from many sources: shrubs,  nesting boxes (bird houses), and even standing dead trees can all help protect birds that come on your property.  Shrubs are a good place for birds to go for protection.  The dense growth will keep birds out of sight from predators and will also protect them from bad weather. Many birds will use shrubs for nesting habitats also, such as mockingbirds, thrashers, and cardinals.  Do be careful with shrubs around ponds, feeders, bird houses, and bird baths.  Predators can use shrubs to hide in and strike when the birds are around these areas.
Nesting Boxes provide great shelter from both the elements and predators.  There are about 50 species of North American birds that use bird houses for nesting.  The size and shape of the bird houses are determined by the species of bird that you are trying to attract into your yard. For example, Purple Martins love to have open spaces to fly in and out of their gourd shaped houses. They also like to high up off of the ground.  Check back when I talk more about the different birds and how to attract them individually.
Dead Trees can be slightly unwelcome in a manicured yard but if you have them on your property, please leave them be.  Many dead trees provide shelter for not only birds but some other critters and insects also.  Woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice, tree swallows, bluebirds, nuthatches, some owls, wrens, raccoons, flying squirrels, and even some bats will use dead trees to house in. Some species of birds are insect lovers and  dead trees attract insects, as well as fungi and other organisms that help decompose the wood of the tree.