Linda Spence

22
Aug

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

– Light:  Full to part sun. – Soil and water:  Medium-wet to medium-dry soil.  This plant will let you know when it is thirsty – the leaves will droop – and this will be obvious.  In my experience, it is somewhat drought and heat tolerant.  Some of mine are planted in a narrow, raised bed in full […]

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16
Aug

The hummingbird feeder is back …….

I have finally found a good place for the hummingbird feeder where you can watch.  It is close to the large bird bath so click on the livestream bird bath cam to watch. Unfortunately, we have only seen 4 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in our yard this year.  And only 1 seems to be coming to this […]

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16
Aug

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

– Light:  Needs full to part sun. – Soil and water:  Medium wet to medium dry soil.  Avoid wet soils or soils that do not drain well.  Fertilizer is not needed and as one of the reasons to add this plant to your garden is to encourage Monarch Butterflies – who use this plant at […]

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15
Aug

Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia humifusa)

When I think of plants that are native to many northern states – and thrive – I admit that a cactus never crosses my mind.  But in many of our northern states, we do have a cactus that grows well – Prickly Pear Cactus.  This genus of cactus (Opuntia) is native in many states east […]

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14
Aug

Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium)

Light:  Full to part sun. Soil and water:  Average garden soil, but well-drained soil is a must or the plant will rot.  Will tolerate some drought.  Once it is established, it only needs to be watered if there is a prolonged drought. Hardiness Zone: Zones 4-9. Size:  3-4 ft. tall and spread is 12-18”.  If […]

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13
Aug

What is going on here at our house?

Normally from mid-July until mid-September, there is not as much going on in our yard as in the previous spring and summer months, but this year is an exception.  We continue to have a good number of birds at the feeders and bird baths.  I am not sure how many House Finch families we had […]

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18
Jul

What is ‘Pishing’?

From https://www.thespruce.com:  Pishing is a technique birders use in the field to get birds to come out more into the open in order to identify them.  Catbirds are a good example of hidden birds as they are almost always within dense shrubs and often impossible to see.  Pishing often draws them out to a more […]

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16
Jul

A Great Time to Watch the Livestream Bird Bath Cam

Families!  Most especially House Finch families.  We must have had a whole neighborhood of House Finch nests.  You can easily pick out the males – their red heads and upper breasts are still a brilliant red that just glows in sunlight.   The juveniles are brown and striped all over with darker shades of brown.  They […]

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11
Jul

Odds and ends and …….. ZoomZoomZoom!!!!!

It is crop dusting time.  Cleon shot a video this morning and I have posted it – go to the menu and click on Videos (I have more to say about crop dusting when talking about the video).  I agree with him – these pilots are fearless – total daredevils.  We have watched them fly […]

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