Knowhow-Now Article

Attracting Birds And Butterflies To Your Garden

Planting flowers in your yard can contribute more than just a beautiful landscape. The flowers you plant can also draw welcome visitors. Hummingbirds just returning from their winter migration, butterflies and song birds and small year-round birds will all be attracted to the flowers in your garden and to the seeds they produce.

If you want to attract these creatures to your garden, it is better not to use any toxic pesticides or other harmful chemicals. You want these creatures to thrive by visiting your garden.

Tip: Another way to help them grow is by watering them with the liquid that is left from cooking vegetables. Some plants, such as gardenias, azaleas and rhododendrons need acidic soil for proper growth.

Native plants may be ones the local fauna are accustomed to feeding on. But they may also welcome other species that provide nourishment. Consult your local agricultural extension office about bushes to plant that provide berries the birds like, and other things you can plant that provide both cover and food for wildlife.

If you have a bird feeder, you get great enjoyment watching the birds that come to it. But try to put the feeder in a location close to dense shrubs or trees such as spruce that provide protective cover to the small birds. If a hawk appears, the birds will need a place they can get to quickly to keep them out of reach of the hawk.

Tip: Put your compost vegetation in plastic garbage bags. The large ones work really well.

Also, you may want to provide nesting places for birds you especially want to attract, such as the bluebird. Phoebes are a small bird that likes to nest in the eaves of a house. If you provide a place for it, it will cut down on the mosquito population in your yard all summer.

Hummingbirds and butterflies seek flowers with nectar. Lilac bushes provide this, as do many other flowering shrubs and many types of flowers. Bees seek the same kinds of flowers, but also will visit the blossoms on your squash plants and other vegetables with blossoms, helping pollinate them.

Tip: A gardening tip you can use is; take rubbing alcohol and vinegar and use it to remove any salt deposits that have formed in clay pots. As plants grow inside clay pots, they deposit salt on the outside of the pot.

Try to plant flowers that bloom in early spring, followed by flowers that bloom in early summer, then later summer, and even into the fall. This will provide a constant supply of nectar, and keep the hummingbirds and butterflies visiting your yard.

Plant giant sunflowers in your yard and you are sure to make the chickadees happy. You may even be able to harvest some of the seeds to put in your birdfeeder during the winter. The rosehips on rugosa roses provide nutritious food for birds. Flowers such as echinacea produce seed heads, as do many other summer flowers. These will provide food for the birds if you let the seeds ripen. After the seeds fall to the ground, the chipmunks and other small creatures will enjoy them.

Tip: Take care of your knees when you're gardening. Many people can not bend over for long periods of time while they are standing up.

Gather for yourself some of the seeds from this year's flowers, so you can plant them next year. You will spend a lot less money at the nursery next year!

Colorful flowers draw colorful birds and butterflies to your garden, bringing enjoyment to your summer. These creatures also help spread seeds and help pollinate plants. They are part of the cycle of nature. By including plants that give food to these small visitors, you will be helping keep them flourishing.

Comments
Order by: 
Per page:
 
  • There are no comments yet
   Comment Record a video comment
 
 
 
     
Related Articles
Growing your own worms will ensure that your garden always has both liquid fertilizer and worm castings, rich in nutrients, to keep your plants thriving. You will learn how to create your own worm farm.
14.10.2016 · From TheAuthor
Organic gardening the chance to grow a variety of different healthy foods throughout each season as well as the pride of growing chemical-free food, which can be hard to find in many grocery stores for a low price. Check out this article for some getting started ideas!
12.02.2016 · From spanglers
Organic gardening in the truest sense means gardening without the use of any chemical substances, may they be in the form of fertilizers, pesticides, growth enhancers, etc. Some people think that if they use only small amounts of chemical fertilizers they still are...
03.11.2015 · From GreenFingers
More and more people are getting into organic gardening because it is more environment-friendly, more healthy, a wonderful pastime and can help them save money by having all the crops they need in the backyard. (...)
03.11.2015 · From GreenFingers
Vital Organic Soil Nutrients Plants that are grown using organic soil are in need of soil nutrients to make the best produce possible. Organic soil nutrients would include phosphorus, sulfur, calcium...
03.11.2015 · From Editor
Ads
Article Info
277 Views
0 Subscribers
All Articles by GreenFingers
Sharing Is Good!
Rate
0 votes