Early spring nectar plants/trees for Hummingbirds?

OH! That's terrible! I would never kill the raccoons. I'd relocated them. That's really disgusting about the smell of that many dead animals. What was that property owner thinking???? Awful!

I dunno. He is a young retired exec from Proctor & Gamble and you would never expect such a thing from him! I think he has way too much time on his hands... Now I think I understand why P & G retired him, though.

Karen,
Sorry, haven't checked this thread in a while, In places bermuda has been gone for about 3 years, however in other places it is an ongoing battle, neighbors on each side have common bermuda as their main grass, along with crab ect, out here in the country it is the style to keep your lawn at about an inch so crabgrass has a hey day. Anyway there are several solutions that all work but none are permenent as common bermuda spreads by seed and will continue to invade over time, vigilence is the only solution. Solar with black plastic for 3 to 6 months works in the summer, don't expect it to work in cool weather, you get OK but uneven results, cardboard also works for small patches, but any holes will allow it to come right back. I use roundup, which is minimaly damaging to the enviroment, breaks down quickly in the soil, in about 2 weeks and is moderatly safe around food, I don't reccommend it, but if you buy produce in a grocery store chances are the farmer who grew it did. I now use the generics as they are considerably cheaper and just as effective. If you aren't in a rush, you can use a reduced amount of roundup per gallon, from the 6 oz./gal. listed, however, you will prpbably have to spray more often. One application is never enough, it took me 4 years to erradicate from one area and it still creeps in from the neighbors, also if they mow with the grass landing on your property each little piece can root and start it fresh. Watch your watering after neighbors mow and let the pieces dry throughly, a few hours this time of year, a day is usually enough at other times. If you have it in a hard to remove place, say in the middle of monkeygrass, or in a shrub rose, there is a poison called Vantage and one just like it call Poast, both very nasty and dangerous use only as a last resort. You can use roundup to within 6 inches of a plant but at this distance i usually apply it with a brush. Also when there is a drought, water the bermuda a couple of day before poisoning as it works better when the grass is active. Good luck.

Thanks Bermuda!
The battle is ongoing for sure.
Thanks for your time and information.
Karen in Austin
ps. I'am starting a new photosite since my old one closed down.
www.kpoore.smugmug.com

You have some lovely stuff there Karen, glad i could be useful on the blasted grasses. I'm not fond of poisons but I haven't found a viable option for bermuda and johnson grass.

One plant i don't remember seeing mentioned is Dianthus, ran into it on a search, probably in bloom when they come north ift hey mean the hybrid types that are so popular now, only one I have found with a strong scent was white, hopefully they smell better than they can see :)

Saw my first hummer this morning, :))) he's been around a lot today. Only sure of the one as all i have seen have been males and all about the same size. I've been hearing the twitter for nearly a week but it rained today and I'm home and able to check frequently.

bermudakiller-- Congrats on seeing your first hummer!

We should probably have a thread here so everyone can announce their first sighting!

bermudakiller - Congrats! Always exciting to see one! :-)

Mine is still here. Has been since November. I think she is gonna stay! (Got my fingers crossed that she is a resident bird!)

For anyone who is checking for Hummingbird arrivals, here is a map that shows average arrival dates for the Ruby throateds. It's kind of interesting to see the pattern across the U.S. on this one. Unfortunately the data for Canada is still vague. http://www.rubythroat.org/images/MapRTHUSpringMigration01.jpg

Not much is blooming here, but my old-fashioned lilac looks like it will have quite a load of blooms this year. Some say the hummingbirds follow the bloom of the lilacs and red-buckeyes. My red buckeyes are not blooming yet, either.

I did hang out three baskets of red geraniums and petunias this week near my feeders in hopes of catching the eye of a passerby.

This message was edited Apr 5, 2008 9:25 AM

I usually see then when the locusts and Paulonias bloom, but dogwoods are just coming in and the arrival dates recorded match redbuds failry closely, also the sweeter scented daffs, Jonquilla simplex and it's hybrids are in full bloom and have been for about a week, cherries, peaches, pears, Forsythis and quince are in full or going out of bloom, and aphids are about already. Have Dianthus blooming but haven't seen anybody on them. Who knows at this point, have fun with getting ready for them.

Here is the current map!

http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html

They are moving north FAST!!!

Okay, I know I'm a year late here, and our climate differs... but we have Anna's hummingbirds here that stay all winter (I have ALOT of feeders to fill, so the little females have a chance to get a drink). I just wanted to say the first bloom they hit here in Spring is the verbena - they are all over it all day. I've added some to the front this year as well. I love how they give all the blooms a try, tho - I even saw one completely disappear inside a tulip - don't think he got much in there tho - lol !!!

That's really neat! I had verbena but the heat just kills it every year, so I didn't buy any this year. :-(

hey Redtootsiepop, which verbena do they go for? The annual gets wiped by a fungus here but some of the perennials do OK to great. Agreed on the tulip, doesn't seem to be much in there for 'em, poor hungry things :)
Thanks

you know, I'll look for a pic - I thought it was an annual, but it has come back every year and is a fantastic bloomer, it's full of buds right now, should open soon.... let me see if I can find one from last year.

ok, I think this is it from last May. The hummers go to it first, and continue to feed on it when the salvia, penstemon and phygelius are blooming, so they must really like it. I think it makes a great groundcover.

We saw a hummingbird here (Kerrville, Texas) 3 days ago and it was all over the verbena and stayed for about an hour on it.

Kathy

A very healthy looking verbena!

Could that be a 'homestead purple' verbena? They say the butterflies love that one particularly for the nectar it produces..

It could be - I put in one tiny pot of it 4 years ago - I didn't know it would come back every year. I should have paid more attention ! This year, it looks like a peach one I put in last year is coming back as well. The butterflies really land on the verbena in our front parking strip - it's much sunnier in the front, they seem to prefer that, this particular corner gets shaded around 3pm.

Thanks Redtootsiepop, from the pic it looks more blue than purple, Bilouxi Blue would be my best guess, unfortunatly that one isn't hardy here except in a courtyard, lovely plant though. Homestead Purple is in most winters, but Homestead pink isn't.
Got dive bombed while hanging clothes out tonight, little devil was in a locust tree and I must have invaded his territory, wings felt odd as they brushed by.

How funny - I had one zoom in our garage last night - it zoomed in and looked at us and went right back out. The kids all yelled "Did you see that!" at the same time, really funny.

The verbena is definitely purple, not blue... the picture must be a bit off.

The color problem could well be my computer, have problems with colors occasionaly and esp. the blues. In that case I'll get homestead purple again. Iffy here on the mountian, but does real well in the valley. Got hummer wars again, 3 males at least, no females yet. I'm going to pick another couple of feeders and put them so far away from the house that my main territirial male can't guard all of 'em. You ought to see him trying to defend the 3 around the house, lol.

Hummer wars !! lol - true, I love to watch them flying after eachother... often that is when a female can sneak in and get a good drink.

I saw a couple of them today. The Cedar Sage was blooming and that's what thet were nectaring on. Didn't get a photo of the hummers, but here's some Cedar Sage.

That's pretty Linda - bright red !

I'm ready put my first feeder up today. I received it in a swap yesterday. I know I am a wee bit to early. But once I can move all my hibiscus out of the GH the hummers will start coming. They love them.




Once the weather warms up a bit I plan on getting the rest of the porch painted brown, so please don't laugh at the ugly green paint.

your porch looks nice - is that a gourd?

I got the gourd birdhouse and the hummingbird feeder from havenscape on the swap that was held. Isn't it neat. I really like it.

2pugdogs, like your feeder. I don't think it's too early for you, is it? And I'm curious about your hibiscus. Are they tropical hibiscus? I suppose so...I have 2 perennial hibiscus ('Plum Crazies' by Fleming Brothers) but the HBs don't seem interested in them. Maybe no nectar.

Thought I'd post a photo of my Early Hummingbird Lure & Feeder. Put this up last week and still no takers, though. I went back to Lowes today and saw that they have put out some red salvias (very short) so I think I'll add them to my 'display' for more red. They also have big hanging pots of purple verbena which I may nab when I go back. We have four feeders up but not much blooming except daffodils.

But the lilacs have some buds, so I don't think it will be too long before the HBs are here in full force. Last year we spied first HBs on April 9 and 10 so we are keeping a sharp eye out.

I saw 3 butterflies today. They were white, but I didn't think they were cabbage butterflies. I'll have to look them up.

ooh, that looks nice - I would stop in for a drink

I have tropical hibiscus (close to 25), then I have about 14 hardy hibiscus. I have a hardy tree that I put on the patio so I can go outside and sit and watch the HB's come in. They tend to like them better in the mornings and in the early afternoon. I don't know if the time of day makes any difference or not.

Here's the map again if anyone hasn't checked it lately. http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html

They are really moving north. I thought I saw an HB today on my buckeye tree where I hung a feeder but this bird was so quick I can't be sure. Will be keeping a lookout.

About the hibiscus--maybe they make their best nectar in the morning and evening so the birds visit then. Although I think most hummingbirds seem to be busy feeders in the evening (and the morning too.) Maybe they nap or tend their babies in the afternoons when it's hot....

Your summer garden must be quite a beautiful site with all those hibiscus abloom.

The couple of hummers I've been seeing lately came by the yard a little while back. It's so relaxing just to watch them! They went to every single blooming salvia in the front yard, every single blooming penstemon and even Coral Bells to top it off! Hope they enjoyed it! I know I enjoyed just watching them.

I wasn't paying a lot of attention to this thread because I thought that it was too early to have hummingbirds in Northern Virgina. I just clicked on the hummingbird migration map and was shocked to find that some of the have been sited as far north as upstate New York. I wasn't planning to put out my feeder to another month or so. Right now, we don't have anything blooming in the garden since some pansies in a pots on the front stairs.

I actually just rearranged the area in the back where the feeder is located last weekend. I planted some lilies, and monarda. I should have some coneflowers shortly. Then I am going to fill the rest of the area with salvias (red annual, and blue), and red geraniums to draw more attention. By mid May, I should have plenty of red flowers. I just moved my bird bath to this area as well.

We saw hummingbirds regularly last year. They would come during dinner - the feeder is suction cupped to the window near our table. The kids would be so excited each time. When my neice and nephew were here for a weekend, they were glued to our window, just waiting for another hummingbird to appear.

Oh, that is so fun - my kids love watching them too - I have ours hanging right outside the window.

LOL Lots of fun to have these little things around!

We had a luncheon here last summer and all the guests were glued to the window HB feeder in the dining room! They couldn't believe we had hummingbirds at all, much less so many. Very nice entertainment for the afternoon! They really thought I had put a magic spell on the HBs or something!

That's funny! Well, you never know...maybe you have powers to call them to you. But it's the feeders and hummer plants that keep them around. They need constant nourishment!

Does any one have a red buckeye? I planted one spring 2006 while it was already leafed out and it did not bloom the following year. It is almost finished leafing out now and no signs of flower buds! I am going to be bent if it gets no flowers again! It is about 4 1/2 ft and everything I've seen about them shows them flowering when very small! So if anyone has one can you tell me if it still might get flowers? There is not a lot of info or pics of this on the web - all I can find is "the flowers emerge about the same time as the leaves".

that is true here in north Alabama, they are in full bloom at the moment, you might get blossoms still this year, as they started about 9 days ago in the valley. and you are much further North, 2 zones and 2 days drive at least. They start when dogwood is at peak and redbud is gone, if those trees live that far north. They can bloom at that size but you can't count on it, nor for a year or 2 after transplanting, throws them off cycle sometimes. Wild here, woods full of 'em, actually have to weed them out of some gardens as you get to many and usually in the wrong place, shift some to a good spot and then rip out the rest.