OK, so it's a bit early for me to be planning for my hummers' arrival this spring, but I like to plan ahead. . .I'm just curious to see what new ideas people have come up with for attracting hummingbirds-what will you do differently or add this year? I've had a few thoughts, but haven't really come up with anything concrete yet. Of course I will try to add more hummer favorite flowers to my garden. A few years ago I tried a bird mister in my hummingbird garden but all it really attracted was a bunch of algae-I might try to revisit this idea. I have a lot of daylilies in my gardens and I think I might be changing them out for some different perennials. I love the lilies but I think I would like to change things around a bit.
So, what are your plans for hummers in 2009?
Getting Ready for Hummingbirds 2009!!
You may want to go to the thread titled Where Are All The hummingbird people. There is alot of info. there.
Lisa
Oh not early at all. I actually posted somewhere close by that I am going to put my Hummingbird feeders out now and try to foll Mother Nature and bring spring early so the hummers can come now. So, I don't call it early I call it creative thinking.
Have fun deciding what you will change , rearrange and add we bring about what we think about, so they say so bring on the Hummers.
I will look forward to your posts.
Robin
One thing I am going to do is plant Monarda in more places in my yard. I had in way in the back last year and only got to see the hummers when I had time to go back there and sit still for awhile. Also they tend to fight over my feeders here, with one being a bully and keeping every other hummer at bay. So I am going to put my feeders around corners or across the yard etc. That way they have a better chance of sneaking a sip. I have a huge hot lips salvia in the back that doesn't bloom because it is in so much shade. I have cut it back and will move it to the front yard so it can get more sun, bloom and attract hummers.
They really like the Monarda in my garden, too. The problem is that I really have too much shade for it and it gets pretty scraggly looking. I plant new every year, but it just doesn't like my yard. The shade (as well as being in zone 4!) really puts a limit on what I can grow since salvia and agastache both prefer more sun than I have. I do have great luck with Red Cardinal Lobelia and it doesn't seem to mind the shade at all-I just wish it bloomed earlier and longer. I did have some success with more annuals and containers last year, though I had problems watering the containers as much as I should have. This summer I plan to set up a drip irrigation system on a timer to keep them looking great all summer.
Hi DMurray, I am in a cold zone too. I always spend the winter planning what I'll do for the hummers and b-flys, it keeps me sane through the many months of winter. : ) The closest thing I have to a new idea this year is, trying anything I can grow from seed quickly, that comes in bright red and I haven't tried before : ) The first year I started planning for hummers I made lists and lists of flowers that I saw listed online as being attractive to hummers. Then I tried narrowing it down to what seemed best for them in this area. My goal was to have at least one of everything on the rubythroat top 10 list, done by hilton pond. They have all been good choices so far. Now that I have most of the most recommended ones, I'm trying things less recommended. If you want some plant names I'd be happy to share. I also wanted to suggest something for your Monarda problems. I have dry sandy soil, but I do have one spot that I can provide them shade. But from researching them, I've found they take more sun as the soil moisture increases. So if you really want them in a certain spot, you could amend that spot with a very lot of organic matter. (Compost being best.) Similar to how rose beds are done. Digging out the area and adding back only 1 part native soil to 2 or 3 parts compost. Greensand is another option, however it could be a bit pricey for a large area. Then you could put a soaker hose there and hide it with some mulch and make sure you water them once, twice or even three times a week depending on how much natural rainfall you get. Just make sure you leave the soaker on long enough to sink in to the ground. I leave mine on for at least 5 hours at a time when we haven't had rainfall in a while. I notice that if I slack off - that is when they start going downhill quickly. Just a thought, because I know the Jacob Kline Monarda is my hummers favorite and I could not do without it. : )
Oh my goodness - I see that you said you have too much shade for them! For some reason I thought you had too much sun! lol Is it possible to develop dislexia? The suggestion I made is good for Monarda in general though, because they like well draining but moist soil. It helps us, that don't have the naturally wet spots, that they grow in - in the wild. : ) Now that I realized you need shade plants I can recommend Hosta and Obedient Plant. That is what they visited the most when my monarda weren't blooming and I didn't have many plants for them. They would actually go to my next door neighbors (hostas & obedient plant) and I would watch and think, now I need something to get them back over to my yard! lol Another one not usually seen recommended is Lilac although they are supposed to have a bit of sun so that may not work for you. I see them growing in quite a bit of shade around here, but they do have a much more open habit and most likely fewer flowers. Someone here on DG told me they read an article that said they follow the bloom of the lilacs north. It makes sense because farmers also use lilac bloom as a sign that it is safe to plant frost tender crops. So this past spring I did make myself aware of the first hummer visit and the first lilacs blooming, and I can say it was the same week. Although I have not seen a hummer on lilacs, but I don't have any in my own yard, so that does not mean they don't visit them. : )
Thought of a few more for shade - Any bright red flowered coral bells. I have seen them at the ones I planted for them. And Indian Pinks, Virginia Pinks, Scarlet Monkey flower, Lilium michaganense, superbum or canadensis (preferbly orange or red shades), Certain Azaelas and Rhododendrons, Oh and One I haven't actually grown - The Common Jewelweed - a.k.a Touch Me Nots
Okay that's what I can think of for shade off the top of my head, if I think of anymore I'll let you know - LOL
BTW - I must caution you about obedient plant, it spreads quickly and is almost impossible to get rid of all the roots when dug up. So most likely, once planted you will have it forever. Just a warning so you don't plant something you'll regret. : )
This message was edited Jan 5, 2009 6:26 PM
Thanks, Meridith! My garden is in an area that tends to be kind of dry, so maybe that's my problem with the Monarda there. I'm hoping that my new drip system will help maintain nice constant soil moisture.
I have quite a few of the plants you mentioned, but I'm always on the lookout for more. I have tons of Hosta and Coral Bells and I do have an Obedient Plant-so far it's been well behaved! I plnated some lilies last year but they didn't do much-maybe because it was the first year.
I was just thinking last night that I had planned to try some Asclepias seeds for the butterflies-do you thing it's too late? I'll have to check into that.
No I say you have plenty of time to start asclepias from seed. In a shady spot A. purpurascens, A. tuberosa would stand up to 70% shade. : ) The tuberosa might put out a few sparse flowers there first year while the purpurascens take 3 years or more, I'm still waiting for mine. This will be their third summer from seed, so hopefully I'll see some flowers on them.
I also thought of another pIant I saw hummers visit here that can stand up to 70% shade - Delphinium exaltatum. Do you have the native red columbine? Those are also good for shade - even full. And are in the top ten for ruby throats.
Also one I should see flowers on for the first time this summer is campanula rotundifolia this one can take a woodland setting. It is supposed to attract hummers but I can't vouch for it yet. I'll know soon though : )
Oops I meant campanula americana, but rotundifolia is supposed to attract hummers too, and can take up to 70% shade. : )
This message was edited Jan 5, 2009 10:30 PM
No, I don't have the columbine-I was just looking at that very plant in a native plant catalog that I get (Prairie Moon)-I think I will try that one this year. I'll check out the Campanulas. I'm so anxious for spring! More snow today, though . . . .
Thanks Meridith!
I ordered 4 pkts of Asclepias seeds from Butterfly Encounters:
Deep Red Tropical Milkweed (A. curassavica)
Hello Yellow Butterfly Weed (A. curassavica)-(oops, A.tuberosa)
Prairie Milkweed seed (A. sullivantii-requires cold moist statification)
Eastern Purple Milkweed (A. purpurascens)
I wish I would have added some A. tuberosa as well-maybe I still will. I know the varieties I ordered require more sun-my butterfly area does get quite a bit of sun-I would love to have my hummingbird garden in that spot but it's near a busy road and the birds are too easily spooked by big trucks. The butterflies don't seem to care. I have had some A. tuberosa in that area for a few years and it does well-I guess I didn't know it was so shade tolerant-I'll try some in the back this year.
Oops, I guess Hello Yellow is A. tuberosa-they have 2 yellows and and I thought I ordered the other one-a curassavica. It worked out because I really wanted the one I actually ordered (go figure!)
This message was edited Jan 6, 2009 7:54 AM
I just placed an order with Prairie Moon for some Asclepias tuberosa seed and bareroot Delphinium exaltatum and Lobelia cardinalis. I also got some Asarum canadense because I love it around my little birdbath and it just won't grow for me (so I just keep trying!!)
LOl - The prairiemoon catalog was where I was checking to see which plants could tolerate the most shade! Look at the A. tuberosa it shows P,S for it's light needs which is prairie or savanna. You probably already know that though! Prairiemoon is where I got about half of my seeds from. : )
I forgot to say that I had some tuberosa in the shadiest part of my garden, and although it grew slowly, and stayed small - it still did good. Good enough for the Monarch cats to eat, so it's better than nothing right? : ) My shady garden gets a lot more sun in mid summer. Early spring and early fall it gets a lot of shade and I grow a lot of stuff that needs full sun in there and it all does well. So even though you might have a lot of shade, if you really watch all summer you may find spots that actually get closer to full sun when the sun is at it's highest and that may allow you to grow the ones that need more sun a little better. : )
This message was edited Jan 7, 2009 2:31 PM
I love Prairie Moon, they are so great! It's only about a 2 1/2 hr drive to their nursery from my house-every year I say I'm going to go down there but I haven't made it yet. Maybe I'll make it this year!
Oh I am so jealous... I would love to be able to visit there! I wish we had something like that out here. : )
It's never too early to talk Hummers! :)
This past summer, I planted my first Hyacinth Bean vine and the hummers loved it! We collected a ton of seeds from just the 3 plants that survived the transplanting I did and so we're going to plant the whole fence line with it this year :) It's such a beautiful vine with it's purple flowers, but you have to have a very sturdy fence to support it as it grows in so thick.
Also, I've ordered over 30 cannas in a coop on here.. we planted our first reds this past summer and they flocked to that too! But it sure didn't stop them from still fighting over the feeders that I placed around the yard. Silly things.. there's 4 feeders and this one little Ruby thinks that they're all HIS! He spends so much time chasing the other Rubies that he hardly gets to feed himself.. it's great watching them and when we sit out on the patio, they'll zoom between me and DH..I'm amazed they don't run into us :)
Sheila, my 4 feeders are in 4 corners of the yard.. didn't stop that little devil from trying to protect ALL of them from the others. I only get about 6 hummers in my yard at one time, so he's kept very busy! I'm always so jealous of these pictures with dozens and dozens of hummingbirds in their yards..sigh..told DH we have to move LOL
Can't wait for them to come back in just a few months..I usually see my first one around the beginning of April. I'm putting the feeders out earlier this year-like Robin, hoping that it'll bring them back sooner LOL
I have the worst luck with vines. They just don't like me (except morning glories . . .) I think I tried Hyacinth Bean Vines unsuccessfuly several years ago, but I think I have the perfect place for them now, so maybe I'll give them another try. Last year we put a beautiful wooden arbor in out front yard. I planted Clematis and transplanted some climbing roses around it-I just have a feeling that those clematis won't be coming back. It's about the only part of my yard that gets full sun (the driveway, wouldn't you know . . .go figure!) so maybe I'll try some Hyacinth Beans on there this spring.
I start putting my feeders out mid-April or early May depending on the weather and what I see on the hummer map.
I wonder if it has something to do with the colder climate? I don't have the best luck with annual vines either. I have tried hyacinth beans two years now, and so far they heven't put out many blooms. They usually don't get flowers until late in the season and it is very few that they do. They just seem to be stunted here. Same with Cardinal Vines and Morning GLories. It's pretty bad that I can't get things that are considered weeds by some, to grow! Lol
They don't bloom here until the weather gets really hot; so you may be right. Are yours in full sun?
Hmmm, I'm at work right now and don't have any books with me, but I do have a few seed catalogs. I don't see any reference to how may days it takes for hyacinth bean vines to bloom-they all just say "easy to grow". HA! There isn't a vine made that I can't kill . . . .
I had the cardinal vine growing up the front of my house, in a south facing position. They got sun starting about 9am or 10 am depending on how high the sun was in the sky. Then they had sun until sundown, they ended up growing a lot towards the end of summer and I think they got 1 to 3 blooms per day until frost. They never made it to setting seed. I started them about 6 weeks before the last spring frost date here, which is Memorial Day weekend. Unfortunately I lost almost all my pictures from summer 07 (when my computer hardrive got liquid on it!) : ( Or I'd post a pic and be able to say exactly how long it took to get flowers. My camera is like a digital journal for me, so without the pics I have no dates.
I have tried morning glories since I was a kid and have never had anything impressive from them. I'll be trying the runner beans again this year in another spot, I tried them in two spots so far. Last year they were in full sun but it was a dry spot, so I'm going to try them again with better soil. I just will not give up!! : )
You might try planting some in pots now for transplant in May. That way you would have large, vigorous plants to start the summer with.
I love the moonflower vine and it needs to be started in Feb for me to have a summer full of flowers. Otherwise, it is barely mature enough to bloom by Aug.
I agree it's a good idea to start them now. How do keep them growing nice? Mine have always gotten leggy, starting them in 6 weeks.
I keep them under fluorescent lights. I use a variety of thing to keep the leaves within an inch or 2 of the light bulbs. Otherwise they get leggy and weak looking. When I pot them up to the 4 or 6" pot, I put them in the window in full sun during the day and under the lights for 3 or so hours in the evening. I only need 4 plants for my area, so it is easy for me.
The annual vines MAY be getting too much water. If I water them too much they never bloom they just keeep growing. They also like poor soil, if that helps.
Lisa
I had 3 hyacinth bean plants in the front of our place.. two in partial shade from a tree on the east side and one in full sun all day long.. the one went nuts! All 3 were slow to start, but once they started growing, they bloomed all summer long until the first frost. But the one in full sun was many time bigger than the other two. I have a ton of seed from them and a big barrel outside that I haven't even gotten to yet! And this was my first time growing those. We did start them inside and that was a mistake for me, cause I started them too early and that's why they took awhile to get going.
The cardinal vine.. I had ONE that survived my seed starting indoors, so we planted it very carefully on a wood fence that faces north. It wasn't doing too well, until it got to the top of the fence and then went crazy, giving me 6-10 blooms a day, so I know that I need to put them in more sun. When it was small, it only received late afternoon sun and it definitely wanted more. So the few seeds I was able to get from it will go into an area that's full sun almost all day, but I will build something to block it to a partial shade for the heat during the summer.
Jurneybug, I grew them under lights too, I think it's just not hot enough here. I grow everything in my garage which gets down to 40's when it's real cold right now it's about 8 degrees. Right now I have some Salvia and Cape Fuschia growing in there and they look pretty good so far. Maybe if I grow them in a warmer room they'll do better. I want to try a small set up in my finished basement this year, so I'll try the vines earlier and see if I can get some good results for once. : )
lisac, my soil is dry and pretty poor and they would only get watered during drought. Drought is usually in two week intervals all summer, but when it rains here it doesn't stop for a week, or we get thunderstorms that pound rain into everything. I always wonder if they are going to drown!