Birds & BloomsReference Guide

to your backyard buffet.

Follow these 3 basics,and birds will flock

ATTRACTING BIRDS to feeders can be as easy as 1, 2, 3. Follow these simple bird-feeding basics, and you should have a regular stream of beautiful wild birds decorating your backyard every day of the year.

It’s not that diferent than creating a successful restaurant for people.Give them the foodsthey crave, in a placethey feel comfortableand in the dining stylethey prefer. Beforelong, common visitorswill include cardinals,chickadees, goldfinches,finches, juncos andwoodpeckers.

Location, LocationDifferent bird species each have a specific niche, or location, where

they feel most comfortable eating.• Ground level feeders attract birds that prefer to eat on the ground,

like mourning doves and dark-eyed juncos. For those birds, a tray feeder,or a log that will hold birdseed, works well.

• Tabletop or post feeders attract birds that normally eat above theground (like the bluebird above), but need a flat surface to provide foot-ing. Cardinals, jays and grosbeaks are a few of the birds that typically

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select such trays as their feeder ofchoice.

• Hanging feeders are for birds that are more agile, and can cling to a perch or the side of a feeder. The most popular are tube feedersthat attract finches and chickadees.

• Tree trunk feeders usually contain suet and attract woodpeckers,chickadees and titmice.

What’s Your Style? As with the feeding locations,

each bird species prefers a particularfeeder style. That’s why you’ll find somany different types when you visit a birding supply store. Some of thecommon styles include:

• Suet feeders are usuallysmall plastic-laminatedcages that are shaped tohold a square block of suet.Hang these from a nail in atree or post, and birds likewoodpeckers will move upand down to reach the suetfeeder while firmly grip-ping the tree trunk.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT

INGREDIENTS FOR A SUCCESS-FUL BIRD HABITAT IS SUFFICIENT COVER.PLANTING PROTECTIVE VEGETATION LIKE

EVERGREENS, TREES AND SHRUBS NEARYOUR FEEDER GIVES BIRDS A SAFE PLACE

TO FLEE FROM PREDATORS OR SEEK SHELTER

FROM THE WEATHER. IF YOUR YARD LACKSTHIS TYPE OF COVER, ONE QUICK SOLUTIONIS TO “PLANT” AN OLD CHRISTMAS TREENEAR YOUR FEEDER.

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• Tube feeders, with or without perches, are most popular amongfinches, chickadees and titmice.

• Hopper feeders on posts, with a wide flat deck around the areathat holds the seed, are perfect for cardinals, jays, nuthatches andchickadees.

• Tray feeders attract the same types of birds as hopper feeders.Although tray feeders don’t offer protection from the weather, theyare the most visible and popular feeders among the greatest numberof birds.

• Sugar-water feedersusually hang from a treelimb or a shepherd’shook. Hummingbirdfeeders are generally madeof red and clear plastic,and have ports or tubesthat allow birds to accessthe sweet liquid. Oriolesgravitate to orange-col-ored plastic feeders. (To

make your own sugar water, mix four parts water with one partsugar, boil, cool and serve.)

A Matter of TasteEach species has a food preference, but the list boils down to

suet, seeds, fruits and mealworms.

• Suet is easy to find for sale in blocks that fit into suet feeders. It may be pure beef suet, or it can be a mixture that contains seeds,fruit, nuts and various other items. Pure suet is the simplest, and the

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Bob Holland

best. You can find it at themeat counter of many gro-cery stores or at your localbutcher.

• Seeds are eaten bymost types of birds thatvisit feeders. So even if youoffer nothing but seeds, youshould still attract a nicevariety of birds. The most

widely consumed is sun-flower seed, in the shell orhulled (cracked). Also popu-lar is the tiny black seedcalled nyjer (or thistle),which requires a tube feederwith small feeding ports.Wild bird seed mixes con-tain a half dozen differentkinds of seeds that manybirds eat.

• Fruit and jelly mayattract birds that don’t eatseed. Apple chunks, grapes, raisins, berries and various fruit jelliesare some examples of the offerings that attract fruit-eating birds.

• Live mealworms, which you can purchase at pet stores, will begobbled up by insect-eating birds, especially bluebirds. These arebest served on a tray feeder.

Text by George Harrison, Birds & Blooms Contributing Editor

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Birds Favorite Foods

FOOD BIRDS IT ATTRACTS

Black oil sunflower Northern cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, grosbeaks and jays

Hulled (cracked) sunflower Juncos, doves, sparrows, jays, titmice, American robins, grosbeaks, finches, woodpeckers, blackbirds and grackles

Nyjer (thistle) Finches, chickadees and titmice

Suet Woodpeckers, jays, chickadees, brown creepers, nuthatches and European

starlings

Safflower Northern cardinals, grosbeaks, doves, chickadees and finches

Wild bird seed mix Sparrows, juncos, doves, chickadees, titmice, finches, pigeons, nuthatches

and jays

Sugar water Hummingbirds and orioles

Fruit and jelly Orioles, catbirds, northern mocking-birds, American robins and tanagers

Mealworms Bluebirds, American robins andnorthern mockingbirds

Birds & BloomsReference Guide

BBetttterBirdhousesBetterBirdhouses

to better birdhouses.

Want winged tenants?Follow these steps

Select the Right Location Each bird species has its own habitat requirements, so it’s important

to place birdhouses in a suitable location.For example, a bluebird house should be placed in an area surrounded

by open fields. Chickadees are just the opposite. They prefer nesting hous-es in a thicket or a stand of small trees and shrubs. House wrens like hous-

es that hang from smalltrees in a fairly openyard. Purple martinsprefer apartment hous-es placed on top of a15- to 20-foot pole inthe middle of a lawn oropen field, while treeswallows want to beclose to water, wherethey can find insects toeat and feed to theiryoung.

Pick the Proper House Design Different birds also require different birdhouse designs to accommo-

date their needs. Purple martins like to live in large communities. There-fore, a condo or apartment-style house with many rooms is perfect forthem. House wrens (like the one above right), on the other hand, live in

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single small houses, and prefer not to have other birds nearby. Bluebirds require single-room dwellings, but because house sparrows and

tree swallows like the same kind of houses and often the same locations,bluebirds frequently have to compete with these other species for a place tonest. Hanging these nest boxes in groups can help ensure there’s room forall. Though they are comfortable with other bluebirds nesting nearby, 50 to75 yards apart is close enough. House sparrows are the least particular house

dwellers. They will nest in al-most any birdhouse as long asthey can get in the front door.

Use a Birdhouse That Fits Generally, small birds need small

houses and large birds require large houses. House wrens are happy with an 8-inch-high house with a 4-inch-square or 4- by 6-inch base. Chickadees selecthouses of the same height with 4-inch-square or 5- by 5-inch bases. Bluebirdsneed more room, so a 5-1/2- by 5-1/2-

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RDA, INC.

by 10-inch box is perfect. Wood ducks and screech-owls need bighouses, measuring 10 by 10 by 24 inches high. See the BirdhouseBuilding Guidelines chart for specific sizes for 16 bird species.

Focus on the Front Door An essential aspect of selecting the right house is using one

with the correct sizeentrance hole. This willaccommodate the birds you want to attract, whilepotentially discouragingother species.

House wrens require the smallestentrance, about 1-1/8 inches. Thissmall size will also keep out birds you may not want, such as housesparrows. Chickadees, tufted titmiceand nuthatches are comfortable with a 1-1/4-inch hole, while bluebirdsneed about 1-1/2 inches to get inside.Large birds like wood ducks andscreech-owls like a doorway that is 4by 3 inches, elliptically shaped andlocated about 20 inches above thefloor of the birdhouse.

Get the Height RightBirds generally prefer their nest

boxes to be placed a certain heightabove the ground. Purple martin

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ALL BIRDHOUSES SHOULD

BE MADE OF WOOD,VENTILATED AROUND THE TOP, HAVEDRAINAGE HOLES IN THE FLOOR, ANDBE PAINTED OR STAINED AN EARTH-TONE COLOR.

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houses need to be about 15 to 20 feet above ground; wood ducks and screech-owls like that same height, or higher. Bluebirds and tree swallows seek out houses that are about 5 to 8 feet high on a post. House wrens select homes 6 to 10 feet high and hanging from a tree, and chickadees favor birdhouses 4 to 8 feet above thefloor of a thicket.

Wait for Tenants

Not all backyard birdsnest in birdhouses, butenough do to make itworthwhile to put up a few and see what happens.

About 30 bird speciesin each region of thecountry are so-called“cavity nesters”, which

means that most of them will also use a birdhouse. Bluebirds, purple martins, house wrens, chickadees, tree swallows and house sparrowsare the most common users of backyard birdhouses, but there areothers, including wood ducks, screech-owls, woodpeckers, titmiceand nuthatches that can also be enticed into nesting in a birdhouse.

Not every birdhouse you put up will have birds in it, but the moreyou offer and the greater the variety, the better your chances of at-tracting tenants.

Text by George Harrison, Birds & Blooms Contributing EditorCover photo: RP Photo

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Birdhouse Building GuidelinesSPECIES DIMENSIONS HOLE PLACEMENT

Eastern bluebird 5" x 5" x 8"h. 1-1/2" centered, 6" above floor 5-10' high in the open;sunny area

Tree swallow 5" x 5" x 6"h. 1-1/2" centered, 4" above floor 5-8' high in the open;50-100% sun

Purple martin multiple apts. 2-1/2" hole 15-20' high6" x 6" x 6" ea. 2-1/4" above floor in the open

Tufted titmouse 4" x 4" x 8"h. 1-1/4" 4-10' high

Chickadee 4" x 4" x 8"h. 1-1/8" centered 4-8' highor 5" x 5" base 6" above floor

Nuthatch 4" x 4" x 10"h. 1-1/4" centered 12-25' high7-1/2" above floor on tree trunk

House wren 4" x 4" x 8"h. 1" centered 5-10' high on postor 4" x 6" base 6" above floor or hung in tree

Northern flicker 7" x 7" x 18"h. 2-1/2" centered, 14" above floor 8-20' high

Downy woodpecker 4" x 4" x 10"h. 1-1/4" centered 12-25' high7-1/2" above floor on tree trunk

Red-headed 6" x 6" x 15"h. 2" centered 8-20' high on postwoodpecker 6-8" above floor or tree trunk

Wood duck 10" x 10" x 24"h. 4" x 3" elliptical 2-5' high on post over 20" above floor water, or 12-40' high

on tree facing water

American kestrel 10" x 10" x 24"h. 4" x 3" elliptical, 20" above floor 12-40' high onpost or tree trunk

Screech-owl 10" x 10" x 24"h. 4" x 3" elliptical, 20" above floor 2-5' high on post overwater, or 12-40' highon tree

Nesting ShelvesAmerican robin 6" x 6" x 8"h. none—needs roof for rain on side of building

protection or arbor or in tree

Barn swallow 6" x 6" x 8"h. none—does not need roof under eavesof building

Phoebe 6" x 6" x 8"h. none—does not need roof under eavesof building

Source: Garden Birds of America by George H. HarrisonWillow Creek Press, 1996

CritterCCritterCritterContrtrolControlCritter

Birds & BloomsReference Guide

Deer, Elk and MooseDamage: Rub on trunks; trample small trees; eat just about everything, including tree branches, bark, small trees (feeding damageleaves a telltale curl of wood), and various flowers and vegetables.

Evidence: Tracks, droppings, sightings.

Habitat: Deer at forest edge; elk near forests bynatural clearings; moose in dense mixed forest near water.

Food preferences: Will eat almost any plant material. Eating habits can vary throughout the season and from year to year.

Control strategies: Try a combination and variety of repellents and scare tactics. Tall fences (over 8 feet), electric fencing and short fences around small gardens can protect valuable plantings. Many communities restrict feeding and are trying to manage populations in heavily populated or agricultural areas.

RabbitsDamage: Eat flowers, fruits,leaves, bark and stems of manyornamental and edible plants.

Evidence: Droppings; when they feedon branches, they leave a clean cut at a 45-degree angle.

Habitat: Brushy fencerows, field edges, brush piles and similar shelter.

raiders in their tracks.

Try these creativeremedies to stop garden

RaccoonsDamage: Eat a variety of vegetables, making a mess in the process; disturb turf when rooting for grubs; raid gardens, garbage cans and bird feeders; and invade homes, garages and outbuildings.

Evidence: Pawprints (look like a small human hand); dog-like droppings.

Habitat: Forests near water and in sewer systems in urban areas.

Food preferences: These omni-vores are night feeders and willeat whatever they can find.

Control strategies: Store bird-seed, cat and dog food indoorsor in sealed containers. Try scaretactics; use repellents like moth-balls, blood meal or dog droppings (han-dle with care). You can trap and move them to a site at least 10 miles away, but raccoon populations are too high for this to be effective.Raccoons carry rabies, so it’s best not to handle them.

Food preferences: Variety of flowers and vegetables, branches, small shrubsand trees; tree bark in winter.

Control strategies: The term “multiplying like rabbits” is true—one femalecan produce six litters of six bunnies each per season. Install tree guards of1/2-inch wire mesh around trees and shrubs at least 3 to 4 inches in theground and 4 feet high. Fence gardens with chicken wire at least 4 feethigh. Cats, dogs, owls, fox and hawks are natural predators. Remove piles ofbrush, stones or other debris. For repellents, try homemade or commercialformulas, mothballs or blood meal. Trapping and shooting should be a lastresort; check local ordinances. Rabbits carry disease, so do not handle.

MolesDamage: In summer,dig temporary surface feed-ing tunnels that damage lawnsand other plants by exposing the roots. In winter, they hibernate.Often blamed for plant damage caused by voles.

Evidence: Look for heart-shaped molehill near burrow entrance.

Habitat: These loners live in underground burrows in cool, moistand well-drained soils.

Food preferences: Insects and worms.

Control strategies: Tamp soil to destroy tunnels or flood them. You can remove their food source — grubs in the lawn —althoughthis will harm beneficial insects as well. Trapping with choker or harpoon traps will require persistence and repeated attempts; moveand reset trap if no success in 2 days. Other options include thiram-based repellents or gas cartridges for fumigation.

Woodchucks and MarmotsDamage: Quickly eat plants to the ground; strip bark off youngtrees; burrow under plantings, exposing and drying roots; excavateunder structures. They hibernate in winter.

Evidence: Burrows with a mound of earth at the entrance; trailsfrom feeding areas to dens. Feed in early morning and evening.

Habitat: Woodland edges and grassy areas with well-drained soils;burrows under sheds and porches in urban areas.

Food preferences: Eat almost any plant.

Control strategies: Eliminate brush piles and overgrown areas,although this will eliminate habitat of desirable wildlife, too. Fence

gardens with at least 10 to 12 inches of fencing below ground and 4feet above ground, with the top bent outward, or try electric fencing4 to 5 inches above ground. Check with your Department ofNatural Resources before trapping or shooting; some states have lawsprotecting these animals.

Voles/Meadow MiceDamage: Feed day and night, year-round, on seeds, bulbs and rhi-zomes. Most damage to land-scape plants occurs in winter. Volesmay chew tree and shrub bark nearsoil surface; wear trails into the turf overwinter; and chew roots of hostas, Siberian irisand other fleshy-rooted perennials. Their populations peak every 2to 5 years.

Evidence: Winter damage is evident in spring as snow recedes—tooth marks at different angles, varying from light scratches toindentations.

Habitat: Grassy areas.

Food preferences: Seeds, bulbs, rhizomes; in winter, tree trunks and shrub stems.

Control strategies: Protect seedlings, young trees and shrubs withtree guards made of 1/2-inch wire mesh sunk 3 to 4 inches into theground and 4 feet high. Remove weeds, tall grass and debris, whichcan provide cover. Repellents do not seem effective. Try placing poisonous baits and snap traps baited with peanut butter and oats in PVC pipe or a similar container to prevent harming songbirds,pets and other wildlife.

Many gardeners have resorted to homemade repellents tokeep wildlife at bay. Many of these remedies will need to be replaced after a rainfall.

• Hair: A handful of human hair placed in an old nylon stocking can be hung from the lower branches of trees or on fence posts. Ask yourbarber or hairstylist to save a bag of clippings for you.

• Hot pepper: Sprinkle cayenne pepper on plants. To make a spray, in agallon of water, mix 1 to 2 tablespoons pepper powder or Tabascosauce and 2 tablespoons of one of the following: Spreader Sticker (anodorless additive), a wetting agent, soap or horticultural oil.

• Rotten eggs: Recipes abound for mixing eggs and water to sprinkle on your plants, but be careful to avoid food poisoning. Always washyour hands afterward—a good idea with any repellent—and keep themixture off edible plants.

• Garlic: Chop, mince and place in a permeable containeror mix with water and sprayonto plants.

• Mothballs: Some gardenersfind this a great repellent forrabbits and squirrels. Just tuckthem away out of reach of children, pets and desirable wildlife. Severalcommercial repellents contain naphthalene, the stuff mothballs aremade of.

• Bar soap: Strongly scented deodorant soaps may keep animals away.Some gardeners slice or grate bars up and sprinkle them throughoutthe garden. Others hang soap in net bags near prime feeding areas.

Source: Birds & Blooms’ Ultimate Gardening Guide by Melinda MyersIllustrations: RDA, INC.

WHEN MIXING ANY

CONCOCTION, FOLLOWTHIS GREEN-THUMB RULE: MAKESURE IT’S SAFE FOR YOU, YOURCHILDREN, PETS AND WILDLIFE. YOUWANT TO SCARE ANIMALS AWAY,NOT MAKE THEM SICK.

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Birds & BloomsReference Guide

CContaitainerGarardensns

Container Gardens

with these simple tips.

Create beautifulcontainer gardens

Selecting Containers Choose containers that fit

your garden design and the plantsyou want to grow.

Buy containers large enough tosupport the plant, but not so largethat they overwhelm it or steal theshow. Keep in mind, the largerthe container, the more soil andmoisture it will hold. This meansless watering and fertilizing.

Make sure your container hasdrainage holes. It’s almost impos-sible to judge exactly how much water to add so your plants receiveenough water without overdoing it. Plus, nature doesn’t always providethe right amount of moisture for our gardens, let alone our planters.

Select containers made from the following materials that match yourplants’ needs and your gardening style:

• Porous containers like clay pots dry out faster. They’re good for wet areas or for gardeners who water frequently. They’re heavy andless likely to tumble in a windstorm or when filled with taller plants.

• Plastic materials hold moisture longer, but don’t always meet theaesthetic standards of some gardens. You may need to add stone tothe bottom of a plastic pot if you plan to fill it with top-heavy plant-

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ings. The lighter weight is no benefit if the planter topples or takesflight in a windstorm.

• Fiberglass adds some new choices to container gardening. This light-weight material is strong, durable and can be molded and finished tolook like stone or other materials.

• Concrete is the man-made substitute for stone. It’s long-lasting butvery heavy.

• Wood is another material that blends with a variety of plants and gardens. If you’re just picturing a whiskey barrel, think again—tubs,window boxes and other attractive wooden planters are available.

• Metal pots can add a different look and feel. Paint to deter rust and soften the metallic glow.

The Potting MixMost plants purchased in

containers are grown in soillessmixes of peat moss, vermiculiteand perlite. Such mixes are light-weight and ready to use, butthey dry out faster. If you don’twant to spend a lot of time car-ing for your potted plants, startwith this old standard mix:Combine equal parts of peatmoss or compost with vermicu-lite or perlite and topsoil. Youmay need to adjust the mix tofind what works best for you.

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Pick the Perfect PlantJust about any plant that will grow in the ground can be grown

in a pot. Start with drought-tolerant annuals if you feel hesitant.Gazania, moss rose, Wave petunias and zinnias are almost guaranteedto provide a colorful show in the sun. Impatiens, coleus and bego-

nias are surefire winners for shade.

Add a spike(Dracaena), orna-mental grass, dill or fennel for verticalinterest. Includevinca vine, licoricevine or other trailingplants to soften theedge. Perennials,trees and shrubs can be grown in containers, too.

When to WaterCheck containers once or twice a day. The hotter the

weather, the smaller the pot and the more plants you have in it, the more often you’ll need to water. Thoroughly moisten the soiluntil the excess water runs out the bottom. Pour off the excess so the container doesn’t sit in the water, which can lead to root rot.

Allow the soil to dry just slightly between waterings. When the top few inches of soil are moist and crumbly, it’s time to water again.

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FertilizingWith a small reservoir

of soil and frequent water-ing, nutrients move quicklythrough the root zone andout the bottom of the pot.Add to this the low or non-existent nutrient-holdingcapacity of most pottingmixes, and you’ll probablyneed to fertilize throughoutthe growing season.

Two methods work well.First use compost as part ofthe mix to provide some

nutrients to the plants in theearly part of the season. Thenincorporate a slow-release fertil-izer like Osmocote into the soilat planting to provide enoughnutrients for most or even all of the growing season.

FOR AESTHETICS,THE HEIGHT OF

THE POT SHOULD BE ABOUT

ONE-THIRD THE TOTAL HEIGHTOF THE COMPLETED PLANTING-POT, PLANTS AND ALL.

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Other practical advice for containers—Try these tips to increase thefun and success of container gardening:

• Fill the bottoms of large containers with Styrofoam packing peanuts,cans or other light material. Cover with weed barrier and fill with soil. This reduces the planter’s weight and the cost of filling the whole thing with soil.

• Use the double-pot method for containers without drainage holes.Plant your flowers in a cheap plastic container (with drainage holes)that’s slightly smaller and shorter than the decorative pot. Place stonesin the bottom of the decorative pot. Set the plastic pot on the pebbles.

Cover the inner potwith moss or mulch.Pour off excess water asit begins to fill the bot-tom of the larger pot.

• Buy or make feet foryour pots. Use smallflat stones, pieces ofwood or other materialto elevate the containeroff the ground. Thisallows excess water toflow freely through thecontainer and out thedrainage holes.

• Use a rope-and-pulley system for hanging baskets so you can raise andlower the pots as maintenance is needed. The easier it is to do a job,the more likely it is to get done!

Source: Birds & Blooms’ Ultimate Gardening Guide by Melinda Myers

Photos: RDA, INC.

TTop PlantstsFor Shade

Top Plants for Shade

Birds & BloomsReference Guide

PerennialsAstilbe (Astilbe): Also called false spirea; grows up to 4 feet tall. Fern-likefoliage and feathery flower plumes in white, red, pink and lavender fromsummer to fall.

Bugbane (Cimicifuga): One of the tallest shadeperennials at 3 to 7 feet. Spikes of white flowers insummer or fall.

Coralbells (Heuchera): In late spring to summer,small coral, white or green flowers on plants 4 to 30inches tall. Some varieties have bronze or purpleleaves.

Goatsbeard (Aruncus): Airy plumes of cream flowers1 to 6 feet tall. Plants are large, up to 4 feet wide.

Hosta (Hosta): Hundreds of varieties with attractive green, blue or variegated foliage, and spikes of white or lavender flowers. Some are up to 4 feet tall with the flower spikes.

Meadow rue (Thalictrum): Clusters of star-shaped or daisy-like flowers.Different varieties grow 8 inches to 8 feet tall. Flowers in summer.

Primrose (Primula): Colorful clusters of flowers in early spring, 2 to 24 inches.

THE DENSE CANOPY OF a shade tree provides a cool hideaway on ahot summer day. What it doesn’t provide is enough light for grass andmany flowers to grow. But don’t get out the saw or pack away your gar-den tools—with these plants, you can have your shade and garden, too.

Astilbe

Select the right plants,and it’s easy to light up

any shady spot.

AnnualsBegonia (Begonia): Easy-care bedding plant, 5 to 16 inches tall. Clustersof white, pink and red flowers from summer through fall and waxy-lookingleaves.

Caladium (Caladium): Grown for white, cream, green and red foliage. Up to 2 feet tall.

Coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides): Grown for attractive foliage in red,green, yellow and purple. Reaches 6 to 36 inches.

Forget-me-not (Myosotis): Dainty blue flowers in spring on plants 4 to 12inches tall. This biennial self-seeds and acts like a perennial.

Impatiens (Impatienswallerana): Bright flowersin white, orange, red, pink,violet, coral and yellow.Grows 6 to 24 inches tall.Nonstop blooming fromsummer through fall makesit one of the most popularshade flowers.

Coralbells

Forget-me-not

IF GRASS WON’T GROWUNDER YOUR TREES, TRY

SHADE-TOLERANT GROUND COVERS. THESEPROVIDE GREENERY AND FLOWERS, DON’TNEED MOWING AND CREATE A HEALTHY

GROWING SITUATION FOR YOUR TREES.

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Ground Covers Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla): Clump- or mat-forming perennialswith soft green leavesand chartreuse flowers insummer or fall.

Lamium or Deadnettle(Lamium maculatum):Variegated foliage lightsup the shade throughoutthe growing season. Thewhite or mauve flowersare an added bonus.Good in dry shade.

Lily-of-the-valley (Convallariamajalis): A longtime favorite of gardeners. The spring display of fragrant white bell-shaped flowers is followed by red berries. Grows in dense shade, but will move intoother areas if it isn’t kept under control. Poisonous.

Pachysandra or Japanese spurge(Pachysandra terminalis): Evergreen foliage topped with whiteflowers in spring.

Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum): Pretty, fragrant white flowersin spring.

Caladium

Lily-of-the-valley

Shrubs Hydrangea (Hydrangea species): Heights of 3 to 20 feet, depend-ing on species. Flowers readily in shade. Pink and blue species arenot reliably hardy in the North, but white varieties bloom readily in

many different regions.

Rhododendron(Rhododendron):Grows 3 to 40 feet tall,depending on speciesand location. Selectfrom more than 500species to provide a colorful early seasondisplay in the garden.

Bulbs Daffodil (Narcissus):White, yellow, salmonand peach flowers in earlyto mid-spring that are 6to 24 inches tall.

Squill (Scilla): Blue, pur-ple or white flowers thatemerge in spring.

Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica, now known as Mertensiapulmonarioides): Blue or white flowers; large leaves fade in latespring.

Wild hyacinth (Camassia): White or blue spikes of flowers in latespring or summer.

Rhododendron

Daffodil

Different Types of ShadeWHEN YOU READ gardening books or plant tags, they may recommendgrowing a plant in full, partial, light or other types of shade. But what dothese terms really mean?

• Light: Plants in light shade receive less than 4 hours of shade each day. The type could be filtered, dappled or high shade. A wide variety of sun and shade plants grow in these conditions.

• Dappled: A type of light shade cast by open structures or trees withsmall leaves and open canopies, like honeylocust or birch. As the sunmoves over the tree, the pattern of sun and shade changes. Plants grow-ing in these conditions receive some direct light, some bright light andsome shade throughout the day.

• Filtered: The same as dappled shade.

• High: Another kind of light shade cast by tall trees with high canopies.This allows light to reach plants for all but a few hours each day.

• Partial, medium or semi-shade: Plants receive 4 to 6 hours of sun each day. This is similar to a woodland edge or areas on the eastand west sides of buildings.

• Full: No direct sunlight reaches plants, as with the shade cast bymaples and oaks or the north side of a building. Hydrangeas, hostasand other shade-loving plants will grow here.

• Dense: Found in the darkest corners of your landscape, under the deck or beneath a stand of evergreens. Only a few very shade-toler-ant ground covers and ferns will grow here. You may want to mulch orgrow a moss garden rather than fight the odds.

Source: Birds & Blooms’ Ultimate Gardening Guide by Melinda MyersPhotos: RDA, INC.

SStartiningSeeeeds

StartingSeeds

Birds & BloomsReference Guide

Start with Quality SeedsBuy seeds that were packaged for the current growing season

or tested within the past 6 months. If you can’t find this information on the packet, don’t buy them. Simply look for a brand that includes this information.

Choose YourContainers

You can start seeds inpurchased or recycledcontainers, flats or cell packs. Peat pots orcompressed peat disksthat expand when wet also are convenient.

Yogurt containers,pudding and applesaucecups, paper andStyrofoam drinking cupsand egg cartons make

fine planting containers. Just punch holes in the bottom for drainage.When using recycled containers, clean them with a solution of one

part bleach to nine parts water.

plants from seed.

Jump-start your gardenby growing your own

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Perfect the SetupAfter you create your seed propagation space (a basement or spare

room will work well), consider investing in artificial lights. It’s difficult to grow healthy transplants with natural light.

A fluorescent light fixture and combination of cool and warm fluores-cent bulbs will do. Or, use the more expensive “grow lights”. Hang light fixtures over a table or from a shelf, suspending them so you can raise and lower them easily as the plants grow.

Paint the shelf or table white, or cover it with a mirror, aluminum foil or other reflective surface to increase the amount of light reaching the plants.

Plant Your SeedsFill your clean containers with sterile seed-starter

mix. Leave about 1/2 inch between the lip of the container and the top of the soil.

Follow the planting directions on each seed package. You will plant them based on the dateof the last spring frost in your area(contact your county Extensionoffice if you don’t know thisdate).

Place two seeds in eachsmall container. For largercontainers, broadcastseeds randomly over thesoil surface or plant them in rows.

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Water the planted containers with a gentle spray and keep the soil moist by watering daily or as needed. Most seeds germinate best in the dark, so you won’t need lights at this point.

For those that do need light to sprout (the seed packet directionsshould let you know), normalroom light is sufficient. Keep thesoil warm to improve germina-tion. Most seeds sprout best whensoil temperatures are between 65°and 70°.

Let in the LightMove the seedlings under lights at the first sign of green.

The lights should be close to your seedlings—about 4 inches abovethe tops of the containers. Raise the lights or lower the seedlings as the plants grow. Keep an eye on them—if the plants are leggy,move your lights closer, and if they’re compact, move the lights away.

Your growing lights should be on for 14 to 16 hours a day. Morethan this won’t hurt the plants, but it will waste energy—and money.

Thin and TransplantOnce your seedlings have two sets of true leaves—they look

like the mature plant’s leaves—give them more space to grow.In containers, make sure you have only one seed per cell pack,

pot or container. Cut the weaker seedling off at ground level so youdon’t disturb the roots of the remaining plant.

You can thin densely planted containers by gently lifting seedlingsout of the tray and replanting.

MOST SEEDS COME

READY TO PLANT,BUT CHECK THE LABEL TO BE

SURE. SOME SEEDS NEED TO BENICKED OR SOAKED, OTHERSREQUIRE COLD TREATMENT.

TIP

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Time to FertilizeMost seed-starting and planting mixes are made of peat moss

mixed with vermiculite or perlite. This mixture retains moisture,provides adequate drainage and reduces disease problems, but itdoesn’t provide nutrients. You’ll need to do that yourself.

Use a diluted solution of any flowering houseplant, complete or other fertilizer labeled for this use. Check the label for guidelines.

To save yourself this step, you can incorporate a complete slow-release fertilizer into the potting mix at planting time.

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Make the Move OutdoorsIt’s important to introduce transplants to the outdoors gradually.

This allows the tender seedlings time to become accustomed to the moreintense lights, lower humidity and generally harsher conditions of the outdoor garden.

First, stop fertilizing and cut back on watering 1 to 2 weeks before you plan to move the plants into the garden. Set the transplants, still intheir containers, in a shaded location outdoors. Gradually expose them to direct sunlight, starting with 1 to 2 hours and then increasing the time a bit every day after.

During this transition time, shelter the plants at night, either covering them or moving them indoors or into the garage when temperatures drop.

Source: Birds & Blooms’ Ultimate Gardening Guide by Melinda MyersPhotos and illustrations: RDA, INC.; cover photo: RP Photo

INCORPORATE A COM-PLETE SLOW-RELEASE

FERTILIZER INTO THE POTTING MIX AT

PLANTING TIME. THEN YOU WON’THAVE TO FERTILIZE LATER.

TIP

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