GARDENING
Feed the Birds
Garden magazines often encourage gardeners to snip off or ‘deadhead’ finished blooms. However, most native flowers will not bloom more profusely when deadheaded. And deadheading flowers at the end of summer, deprives birds of a natural food resource for winter — seeds.
Forego Autumn Cleanup
Autumn cleanup in the garden is harmful to wildlife.
- Cutting back stems deprives beneficial insects of overwintering spaces
- Deadheading flowers deprives birds of a crucial winter food source
- Raking leaves deprives overwintering butterflies and moths of warm cover
If you want a ‘tidy’ look, consider keeping stems between 8 to 24 inches, which leaves enough of the hollow stem for insects to hide in through the winter. Also, consider allowing the back areas of your yard to remain leaf covered. Only monarch butterflies migrate; the rest need leaf cover to hide under in their caterpillar or other larval form until warm weather returns.
Plant More Native Flowers
The flowers that offer the most food for wildlife are native plants. If you’re on the East Coast, I’ve listed a few of the best winter food sources for birds in my garden. There are plenty of other plants! Check with your local Audubon or Native Plant Society chapter for more suggestions.
Redbud
This native tree blooms bright purple and pink in early spring. The flowers form seedpods which dry to a light brown when ripe in late fall. In winter I’ve observed a few birds snack on the pods, but come spring, hungry Bluejays devour the rest.
Joe Pye Weed
Not a weed! This native flower attracts many pollinators with its puffs of pink flowers in late summer. From butterflies to native bees to moths, Joe Pye Weed is never seen without an insect enjoying its nectar. In autumn, all the flower clusters turn to seed which is eaten by Goldfinches, Titmice, and Dark-eyed Juncos.
Blue Mistflower
This is a favorite of Sachem Skippers (small orange and brown skipper butterfly). The plant spreads well when growing conditions are met — partial shade, slightly moist soil. But it is easy to hand weed if a plant pops up unwanted in another area. In my garden, I leave the Blue Mistflower to spread wherever it wants. In autumn, its bright blue flowers make for lovely spots of color at a time when most other flowers have stopped blooming. In winter, the seeds from this plant are a favorite of seed-eating birds. And the plant is deer resistant.
White Snakeroot
Unfortunately, this native plant has a reputation for spreading aggressively. But it is easy to hand weed and provides much needed fuel for migrating monarchs and other pollinators preparing to overwinter. In winter, I have observed large flocks of Dark-eyed Juncos subsist mostly on this plant’s seeds. The wind blows the seeds onto the snow-covered ground which makes it easy for ground-feeding birds. The back third of my yard is devoted to White Snakeroot. Even though the soil is compact and dry, White Snakeroot thrives. It provides needed food and cover for wildlife in an area of my yard that landscaping crews would simply cover with useless bark mulch. The plant is also deer resistant.
Cut-Leaf Coneflower
There are many types of coneflowers native to North America. All provide birds with an abundance of seeds to feed them through winter. Check with your local Native Plant Society chapter for specific coneflower species native to your area.
Common Boneset
Amazingly tall, this impressive native plant’s clumps of white flowers provide a seemingly endless supply of seeds. In summer, I’ve noticed it attracts tiny beautiful metallic green sweat bees.
The list of native plants beneficial for winter wildlife could go on and on. As a first step, this autumn keep dried flower heads intact through the winter and observe how many more birds your garden attracts. Bird watching from the warmth and comfort of your home is a great way to have a relaxing weekend.
