Food, flowers and shelter especially needed in winter
Pineapple sage produces gorgeous bright red tubular flowers much favored by hummingbirds. This plant grows next to a south-facing wall and is thriving even in winter. Kathy Morrison
The overwintering birds are back in my garden. The dark-eyed juncos and the white-crowned sparrows scritch in the mulch. The hummingbirds pause ever so briefly to sip nectar from the still-blooming pineapple sage. The lesser goldfinches flit into branches of the crape myrtle, checking the scene before they snack at the bird feeder, then take a quick drink from the birdbath.
Then one of the local jays arrives, landing like a jumbo jet and scaring them all off -- for a few minutes, at least.
It's easy to make even a small yard inviting for the local birds, who during winter might need some help staying safe and staying fed. Many trees have lost their leaves, and along with it the cover they provide. The usual food is gone, too: Most insects are dormant, and the caterpillars are gone until warmer weather.
So the birds seem to appreciate the shrubs, the leaf-scattered planting beds, the tubular flowers and the human-provided seeds, nuts and water.
Here are some suggestions for plants that support birds, especially in winter (and often pollinators and other wildlife during the rest of the year). Among them are native-plant recommendations from the National Audubon Society. Follow the links here to read more about the plants.
-- Blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana. Elderberries provide a crucial source of food for birds in California; the blue variety is native to the Sacramento region.
-- Coffeeberry, Frangula california. The plant has small white flowers in summer that later turn into dark berries popular with birds.
-- Common manzanita, Arctostaphylos manzanita. Hummingbirds are attracted to the flowers, while other birds go for the fruits.
-- Common snowberry, Symphoricarpos albus. Attractive white berries give this native its common name.
-- Coyote bush (aka coyote brush), Baccharis pilularis. Lesser goldfinches are fond of the seeds.
-- Interior live oak, Quercus wislizeni. and scrub oak, Quercus berberidifolia. Native oaks are the "keystone" species for native wildlife, and they are also one of the easiest to grow. (Just ask the squirrels, who plant them regularly.) The acorns provide food, and the tree provides shelter.
-- Toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia. The red berries are popular with mockingbirds, among others.
Unofficially, I've found that not only do the hummingbirds like the pineapple sage (Salvia elegans), they also frequently visit the red and white flowers of the "Hot Lips" salvia (Salvia microphylla). The lesser goldfinches have found the two frost-killed basil plants that I never pulled out, and they're enjoying the seeds that remain there. None of these is native, but they do add plant diversity to the garden and to the birds' food sources.
If you're intrigued by this topic, you should know that "habitat gardening" is the theme of the 2024 Sacramento Master Gardeners' Gardening Guide & Calendar, still available through the website here. (It will also be on sale at in-person winter events such as the Jan. 20 Open Garden at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center.) The publication is packed with valuable information on supporting wildlife through plantings.
My 2022 post on becoming a birdwatcher can be found here.
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Garden Checklist for week of Dec. 8
Make the most of dry weather while we have it this week. Rain is returning.
* Rake leaves away from storm drains and gutters. Recycle those leaves as mulch or add to compost.
* It’s not too late to plant something. Seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Trees and shrubs can be planted now, especially bare-root varieties such as fruit trees or rose bushes. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from winter rains.
* Plant bare-root berries, kiwifruit, grapes, artichokes, horseradish and rhubarb.
* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.
* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.
* Brighten the holidays with winter bloomers such as poinsettias, amaryllis, calendulas, Iceland poppies, pansies and primroses.
* Keep poinsettias in a sunny, warm location; bring them inside at night or if there’s rain.
* Plant garlic and onions.
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while they’re dormant.
* Clean and sharpen garden tools before storing for the winter.
* Mulch, water and cover tender plants to protect them during threat of frost. Succulent plants are at particular risk if temperatures drop below freezing. Make sure to remove coverings during the day.
* Rake and remove dead leaves and stems from dormant perennials.
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