Learn To Garden In Agreement With Nature

WHEN a gardener hears the word “insect”, bad things often come to mind.  One thinks of caterpillars chewing their way to adulthood at the expense of tomatoes or of aphids sucking dry the leaves of cole crops.  (Master gardener by Tom Patrick)

But in the wildlife gardener’s yard, numerous kinds of six-legged creatures help to control the numbers of their injurious relatives, keeping plants in fine form if all other environmental factors are appropriate for good growth.

For example, adult robber flies attack practically anything, from beetles to grasshoppers and leafhoppers.  (Of course, this means that they will also catch insects you might prefer they did not, such as butterflies and bees. 

However, beggars—gardeners getting free labor—can not be choosers!)  Green lacewing larvae are also generalists, preying on mites, whiteflies, and the eggs of cabbage looper, corn earworm, Colorado potato beetle, asparagus beetle, and numerous other insect species, but they are best known as aphid predators.  Female braconid wasps (there are over 1900 species in North America) insert eggs directly into moth, beetle, and fly larvae or various insect pupae and adults.  The wasp larvae proceed to eat the host animal, minimizing the damage done by such insects as tomato hornworms.

To take advantage of six-legged “pesticides”, you should not use manmade insecticides to kill unwanted insects on your plants.  Predatory insects are equally susceptible to poisonous chemicals, including “natural” ones, such as the pyrethroids that are derived from plants.

You also must learn to hesitate to kill anything so that natural predators can get their meals and help you in the process by limiting—not wiping out—the numbers of plant-eating insects in your yard.  If you are not sure what kind of a small “slug” you are looking at, leave it alone.  It could very well be the immature form of a hover fly, an insect that can eat up to 400 aphids during its larval development.  The shrewd gardener is one who becomes an amateur entomologist, identifying as many insects as possible and learning about their lives.

To be a true wildlife gardener, live in agreement with nature.  Learn about the intricate network that exists among all organisms—especially those numerous insects!

Marlene A. Condon
Author, Nature Friendly Garden
Crozet, VA

New Feature: Let's Build A List of Wildlife Tips!

ONE OF THE BEST read features of WindStar's  previous e-newsletters and e-magazines has been the "Tips For Wildlife" section. Many of you have asked about adding this to the blog.  We heard you and we will do it. We'll start it off with this item about safflower.  You can add more tips by simply clicking on "Comments" at the end of this tip.

Tip:   Do you want to be a little more exclusive in your birdfeeding?
Safflower may be the solution for you. Many of your favorite birds will enjoy safflower. Blackbirds, grackles and even squirrels typically don't. Offer safflower gradually, mixing it with the seed you currently provide. Over time you'll end up with a dining spot for all kinds of birds, including House Finches, woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees!

Choosing Healthy Plants for Your Garden

WHEN WORKING at a nursery, you are supposed to be an expert on everything. Well, I work at a nursery and I sure don't know everything. However, I am considered an expert on certain plants, fertilizers, and habitats.

Things happen fast this time of year and for the next few months. Flowers, trees and shrubs come and go as if there is a revolving door. Here today, gone tomorrow. Blooms fade in a matter of days. Plants get beat up by customers. ID tags are lost. Often I am asked to ID a certain plant and its growth habits. If you don't trust your local nurseryman or garden center workers, here are a few tips when buying annuals and perennials. (Trumpet honeysuckle vine)

When buying perennials, look for ID tags. What is the name of the plant, what growing conditions are required and what are the plants habits? But it has a pretty flower and I like it! Will you like the same plant next year when it has invaded your prized lilies? The plant you bought was only 2 feet tall and in bloom, why is it 4 feet tall this year? ID tags will assist you in this. A nurseryman may not always know or be as helpful. You may have thought it was something else. Growers pinch or cut back plants to make them bushier and to produce more blooms. Ask questions and read tags.

Look for plants that are budding, not in bloom. This way you enjoy the flowers longer. Look for multiple stems or stalks. Pull the plant out of the pot and check out the root system. Are the roots white and healthy looking? Is the plant pot bound and showing signs of stress?
Does the potting soil smell earthy or sour? Is it a plug from a 1qt. pot shoved into a 3qt. pot and selling at a premium price. Most nurseryman don't mind if you put the plant back in the pot.

Annuals grow fast, their sole purpose in life is to reproduce and die. Look for annuals that are full of growth and buds. Is the tray a bit stalky? Look for new growth coming from the bottom of the plant stalk. If there are signs of new growth, then this is a healthy plant. You can cut the top off and the annual with fill out and bloom better then before. Keep deadheading for continual bloom. Continuous blooms will bring butterflies. Blooms also bring insects that bring birds. Zinnias are a prime example. Butterflies love zinnias. Tiny insects congregate in the blooms and you will find hummingbirds hovering over the flowers licking up these tiny bugs.

I dead head perennials that are considered invasive and leave my natives for the birds. Some annuals will go to seed late in the season for my wildlife as well. Plant in groupings for color and to attract wildlife.

Never pay full price for a perennial where there is no ID tag. Plant it in a trial bed to see what you may have for next year. You can always prune back a perennial and pinch back annuals to have bushier more productive plants. Some perennials will give you a second and third bloom if you deadhead while others still will continue to bloom all season if they don't go to seed. Plant native when possible, they are less reliant on artificial food and water. Plant for nature.

Ronald Patterson
Certified Wildlife Habitat Naturalist
Michigan Certified Nurseryman
Kentwood, MI
www.backyardbirdingtips.com