hummingbirds

If you spend any time outdoors and have anything blooming red, there’s a good chance you’ve got hummingbirds buzzing around. It’s that time of year when hummers begin their migratory flight heading south for the winter. We are so lucky to be a fueling stop along their journey.

Coastal areas see the first masses arrive. They are very hungry and need plenty of nectar. Best food for any hummer is through nectar rich blooms.

Turk’s Cap, Firecracker Plant, Shrimp Plant, Red Yucca

Some of their favorites are Firecracker Plant, Firebush, Hummingbird bush, Turks Cap, Shrimp Plant, & Red Yucca. They will go to most anything red/orange (even a colorful Hawaiian shirt!) but not all flowers and flowery shirts have enough nectar to feed them.

Feeders are good; they need to be changed every few days, cleaned each time with mild soap and thoroughly rinsed. No coloring or artificial sweeteners please. Take time to enjoy this wonderful act of nature, and come see us for your hummingbird plants and feeders!

-Debbie

Mexican Flame Vine is a wonderful vine with a long blooming period until the first good frost. It has deep green leaves back-dropping beautiful orange daisy flowers. Very easy to grow in full sun to part shade with little to no serious pest issues. It is considered the best nectar vine for Monarch butterflies. It is also one of the best butterfly plants attracting Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, Gulf fritillaries, Hairstreaks, Painted ladies, Pipevine swallowtails, Skippers, Sulphurs, Queens, Zebra Longwings and more. It also attracts hummingbirds, and is a pollinator plus plant attracting bumble bees and honey bees. It can also be grown in a pot on a small trellis or tomato cage for support. We have one next to our office building. It is a great addition to any sunny landscape.

DeAnna

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, a local gardener shared these words regarding the hummingbird migration that is beginning now. We are passing them along to you.

Good advice….thank you Trisha!

“Howdy y’all!

Just wanted to ask y’all to remind your gardeners that the hummingbirds are already arriving down here (we gained several the morning of the storm and more since then in old San Patricio). And with hundreds of miles of Tx coastline either flattened or underwater, the natural nectar sources (& feeders that people usually have out) will be sorely lacking in the area before the little guys head south for the winter. Please ask your readers to put out extra hummingbird feeders in their yards (quickly!) along with the usual flowering attractions for them. Recipe is 1 part sugar to 4 parts water, boil water to dissolve sugar, cool before adding to feeders, no red food coloring needed.

Thank you!!

Trisha”

Whether your hummingbirds are just passing through or they’re residents to our area, you can be sure they’re hungry! Hummingbirds are most attracted to orange & red blooming plants with tubular blooms.

From our observation, one of their favorites in our area is the Firecracker Plant, which blooms spring, summer and fall as long as it gets good hot, full sun.

The tubular flowers make it perfect for the hummingbird to feed on. Another sun loving hummingbird plant is Red Yucca, which also has a very generous bloom season.

One of my favorites is Salvia gregii. It doesn’t look like much in the garden center because it doesn’t bloom as heavy until it gets established. But boy, the hummingbirds love this one!

Others are Mexican Honeysuckle, David Verity Cuphea, Firebush (aka Hamelia), Turk’s Cap (native to our area), Shrimp Plant and Cape Honeysuckle. Planting in mass (two or three plants) in full sun is a sure way to get them to stop by your garden for dinner!

Clockwise from top: Hamelia, David Verity Cuphea, Turk’s Cap, Shrimp Plant

Happy Gardening!!

-Sally

May means Mom’s Day, graduations, and more BBQs and family holidays outside! May is also Mental Health Awareness Month. As gardeners, we know growing plants and being outdoors are necessary for our wellbeing…and so much fun! Here are our Top 5 Must Do’s this May to help you and your garden make the transition to warmer weather.

Check out our May Garden Guide for more tips and remember that trees, shrubs, and perennials can be planted 12 months out of the year! The only difference is the amount of water they need depending on temperatures and wind!

1. Plant Blooming Perennials

It’s still time to plant lots of different blooming perennials. Get them established now so they are better adapted to withstand warmer temps this Summer. Staples like Esperanza, many varieties of Salvia, Jatropha, Lantana, and more are all blooming beautifully right now. We’re excited about Cape Town Honeysuckle this month (see pic above). It grows to about 4-5’ tall and wide, whereas its relative, Cape Honeysuckle, grows to 8’ or more. Lots of blooms and lots more options for placement. Added bonus: these blooming perennials attract pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds!

2. Plant and Harvest Veggies

Warm weather veggie time! Plant peppers, zucchini, squash, and okra this month for continued harvesting into the Summer months. If you planted tomatoes, cucumbers, and other early Spring veggies, you’ll be harvesting now or soon. Be sure to harvest often! It keeps birds & insects from finding them first. If you do have insect issues in your veggie garden, our go-to organic control is Spinosad – safe for food but takes care of bugs. And remember to keep watering as the weather warms up. Soaker hoses are great to snake around your plants keeping water close to the ground and root systems.

3. Tend Your Lawn

It’s vital to water your lawn once a week unless we have rain. Invest in a sprinkler that’ll do the work – we have them. Hand watering the lawn may feel therapeutic, but you won’t get good coverage and depth.

When mowing, the proper height for St. Augustine lawns is around 3 inches. For Bermuda lawns keep mowed to around 2-2.5 inches.

Feed with Natural Fertilizers: Medina Growin Green or Milorganite. These feed the lawn and the soil with great results. Water in to get them started.
Watch for lawn insects & treat when needed. Grub worms & chinch bugs are easy to control when caught early but there’s no need to treat unless you have them. Bayer Season-long Grub Control will do the trick for grubs. Cyonara takes care of chinch bugs.

4. Look for Thirsty Plants

Watch your plants and they will show you when they need a drink. Most show signs of wilting (see photo). That’s a sign they need water soon. Once you give them a drink, they perk up quickly. But some will not tell you until it is too late, like a live oak tree. Invest in a moisture meter. They help to read the moisture with a poke into the soil around the roots. We have them and they’re very easy to use.

5. Gifts for Moms and Grads

Let us help you find something pretty, useful, or both for the gardening moms and grads in your life. Pottery, birdbaths, wind chimes, garden tools, hats, gloves – lots of options. Or the gift that gardeners love most – plants!

Check out our May Garden Guide for more tips! Happy gardening!

As we get into summertime, there are quite a few blooming plants that have yet to show their color. When I first moved into my apartment, I always wondered what the beautiful purple tree was that backed up to my patio. Soon after starting at Gill’s, I learned that it was a Shoal Creek Vitex.

Vitex are one of my favorite small blooming trees for the summer because of their purple spires and their ability to attract all kinds of birds, bees, and butterflies. Last summer while my Vitex was in full bloom, I counted 13 hummingbirds buzzing my tree in one morning! I enjoy sitting on my patio in the mornings and late evenings when it’s quiet and listening to the wildlife surrounded by the dense Vitex foliage.

-Wyatt

Sights, sounds, and smells of nature are all relaxing. For sights, think about plants to attract birds, butterflies, and hummingbirds. They are so fun to watch as they move from plant to plant gathering nectar. Hamelia, Firecracker Plant, Hummingbird Bush, Shrimp Plant, Cape Honeysuckle, Lantana and many more are available to bring nature to your yard. Our plant signs throughout the nursery identify which ones attract birds, butterflies, or hummingbirds. For garden sounds, think of rustling leaves, a hand tuned windchime or the sound of running water from a fountain, all sure to relax the mind. For smells, many plants have wonderful fragrances in the daytime and some at night. Gardenias, Indian Carnations, Maid of Orleans Jasmine, Sweet Almond Verbena, Angel Trumpets, and Reseda add wonderful aroma to the landscape. Night Blooming Jasmine can be smelled from what seems to be 100 yards away. The tiny flowers flare the tips open in the

evening to release the sweetest smell imaginable. While having a cup of coffee early in the morning or a glass of wine after a hard day of work, do what you have always heard, take the time to look around, listen close, and “stop and smell the roses”.

-DeAnna

As we continue to monitor public health guidance and talk to our friends at other garden centers across the country, we’re reminded how important gardening is right now, at a time when sunshine and fresh air are especially good for us all.

While you’re spending more time at home, why not start a small food garden? Now is a great time to plant squash, cucumbers, peppers, okra, and lots of different herbs. A fun food project for kids (and adults too) is a 3 Sisters Garden. The 3 Sisters (corn, beans, and squash) all benefit each other when planted together, and you can get a sizeable harvest from just a 4’ x 4’ space.

Or find a not-so-exciting spot in your yard and get creative! Now is THE time for Spring flowers like Zinnias, Begonias, and Pentas. Periwinkles will be here very soon. If you’re planting flowers in the ground, be sure to condition your soil with compost. If you’re planting in pots, a good potting mix goes a long way. Use a good organic fertilizer when planting for healthy plants and better blooms.

Since we’re limiting our close contact with people for now, gardening can provide us with a connection to other living things – plants and wildlife. We planted a small garden here at Gill’s with Butterfly Weed, Gregg’s Mistflower, Jerusalem Sage, Shrimp Plant, and more to attract pollinators (bees, butterflies, hummingbirds) and it’s taken off in just a few weeks!

-Jesse