Why this month's focus on birds? They are so much more than ornaments or entertainment. Read on...

Eastern bluebird bath time

photo by Edward Palm

I live with a birdwatcher. His life revolves around life lists, trips to migration sites, and hours sitting, binoculars in hand, watching birds in our back yard. My job is to provide the habitat that will bring the birds he so enjoys. But gardening with birds in mind provides so much more than beauty and entertainment.  

Birds are weeding allies. Yes, they sometimes eat newly planted corn or bean seeds, and they may deposit weed seeds from other locales, but birds such as warblers, sparrows and finches consume vast quantities of weed seeds, eating up to 1/3 of their body mass each day. Because many weeds are prodigious seed producers, each plant setting thousands of seeds each season, we need this weeding assist.

Birds such as bluebirds, nuthatches, cardinals, chickadees, wrens, and orioles are voracious insect eaters and help prevent plant damage throughout the landscape. Cabbageworms, whiteflies, moths, cucumber beetles, aphids—the list of insects that birds help control is endless. We can also thank our feathered friends for the mosquito patrol they provide, and raptors, such as hawks and owls, for rodent control. Woodpeckers ferret out borers and other tree pests and their presence may be our first indication that trees are under siege.

Birds are an essential part of the food web, and can affect entire ecosystems by creating trophic cascades. In TCs, birds or other predators limit the concentration of their prey (in this case insects) to a degree that enhances the survival of the next lower level of the food chain. Powerful stuff. 

Some birds pollinate plants, a process called ornithophily. Ohio’s primary bird pollinator, the ruby-throated hummingbird, visits tubular flowers in the garden. Baltimore orioles are fall pollinators, relying on fruit tree nectar to supplement their diet, but in Ohio are usually en route south at that time of year.

Who can’t use a boost to their sense of well-being? Contemplating birds can slow heart rates, restore focus, and lower stress hormone levels. 

The beauty of their flight, the sweetness of their song, the captivating drama as they rear their young, and garden and health benefits as well.  Bring on the birds!   Look Around!

K Edgington

Echinops ritro, Globe Thistle

photo by E Barth-Elias

The name globe thistle (Echinops ritro) may bring visions of a weedy and ornamental thug. Far from it, this thistle is a beautiful ornamental that brings an architectural element and interest to the flower bed. The globe thistle’s genus name, Echinops, comes from the Greek words echinos (hedgehog) and ops (looks like) due to its spiky, globelike flowers. Globe thistles are a striking addition to any garden; but more importantly, the nectar-rich flowers attract pollinators, and the seeds are nutritious for wildlife.

A native of Europe, globe thistle belongs to the Asteraceae family—think sunflowers and marigolds. 



Like all plants in this family, the heads are a composite of numerous tiny flowers. One spherical globe contains a cluster of about 100 flower heads, each with its own set of petals making it a standout in the garden. This perennial is easy to grow and tolerant of summer heat without needing a lot of water. Its taproot allows it to adapt to most environments, but it likes well-drained soil. Globe thistle grows from 2 to 4 feet tall, so be mindful when placing it in your garden. Planted in May to early June, it will bloom the same year, with a bloom period from July through September, a beautiful addition to the fall floral display.

Incorporating a variety of plants supports wildlife and brings biodiversity to the garden. Pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are highly attracted to globe thistle’s nectar; as are shield beetles, ladybugs, and hoverflies. Clemson Cooperative Extension (2022) notes that hoverfly larvae can “eat over 400 aphids during its development” and having hoverflies in your garden can reduce aphid populations in your garden by up to 70%.

Its spiny flower and spiky foliage make globe thistle rabbit resistant. Globe thistle is deer resistant, and can reach a height of 4 feet, which can discourage deer from jumping over it; having it as a border plant is beneficial. This foliage is perfect for butterfly larvae such as the thistle caterpillar, Vanessa cardui, which becomes the painted lady butterfly. And talk about birds! Globe thistle seedheads are desirable to birds such as the goldfinch. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources states, “Finches are at the top of the evolutionary line of Ohio's birds” and are found in every Ohio habitat (ODNR, nd). Globe thistle flowers bloom into late fall which works well for the nesting habits of goldfinches. They collect the down from mature thistles to line their nests and use the seed to nourish their young.

Globe thistles are late bloomers and last for extended periods, making them a stunning addition to the fall garden. Their ornamental silvery-blue spheres dry well, add texture to floral arrangements, and make a beautiful contrasting addition to floral arrangements. They should be harvested before the pollen shows. Leave some spheres in the fall to provide a food source for late fall and winter birds. You can deadhead this perennial in the spring to prevent reseeding, but it does not need special overwintering techniques.

Although planting a thistle in your flower bed may go against your gardener instincts, give this one a try. Its beautiful flower head and foliage and the wildlife support it offers are a win-win!   

GLOBE THISTLE: Cornell University Extension

N Callicutt

Male Baltimore oriole

photo by Annie Graybill

When my Dear Editor asked me to write about Baltimore orioles, my initial research revealed more baseball than birds. Did you know the current Baltimore Orioles baseball team was hatched in Milwaukee in 1894, migrated to St. Louis in 1902, and finally flew to Baltimore in 1954 where it was named for the state bird? Who cares? Orioles with wings are way more interesting than ones with bats. Let’s talk birds.

"Oriole" means golden in Latin (aureoles). The name was first given to old-world orioles belonging to the Oriolidae family. Similar birds

in the New World were also called orioles, but they belong to the family Icterus, which is primarily blackbirds and meadowlarks. Our New World genus contains about 30 species, 8 of which are found throughout North America.

Baltimore orioles are sturdy songbirds with long pointy bills and long tails. Males are beautiful, with bright orange breasts, black heads and backs, and orange and white markings on black wings. Females are a less flashy yellow, brown and olive; as they molt they can turn a brighter orange. Juvenile males resemble females as they don’t show their full colors until after their first birthday.

Baltimore orioles are found east of the Rocky Mountains and as far north as southern Canada. It is said that early eighteenth century Marylanders dubbed them “Baltimore-Birds” because the orange and black males resembled the colors of the crest of Lord Baltimore, the original proprietor (manager for the Crown) of Maryland. In July and August the generally solitary birds migrate in flocks, traveling to tropical winter homes in southern Mexico, South America and the Caribbean. Some remain in the southeastern U.S. and the Gulf Coast; the few that don’t migrate may not survive.

Orioles return north in April to breeding grounds in open woodlands with large shade trees or suburban and urban landscapes. Males arrive first, staking out a 2-to-3-acre territory, using their loud, flute-like whistle to protect their space and attract females. It is said that each oriole has its own distinctive song (how do they prove that?) LISTEN. If you enjoyed that here’s 68 minutes MORE.

Mom-to-be finds a nest site, usually at the end of a deciduous tree branch 25-30 feet above ground. Over the next week or so, she selects her materials—plants, hair, string, spider silk—and weaves her nest together in a complex process resulting in a basket-like hanging structure with an opening at the top. While she doesn’t tie knots (!), she creates them as she pokes fibers in and out. The finished product is remarkably strong and can last for years, although orioles generally don’t reuse nests (they poach materials from old nests for new ones).

Dad might help gather material, but mom’s the master builder. Read HERE, then watch HERE. Mom is very resourceful. Before the advent of the automobile, nests were primarily made of—horsehair! The brood of 3-7 eggs will hatch in about two weeks, and both parents feed the babies.

Orioles eat insects, fruit and nectar. They hunt in treetops, catching moths, flies, grasshoppers, beetles, and many insects considered pests, such as spongy moths and tent caterpillars. Their diet shifts seasonally. In summer they eat protein-rich insects, in spring and fall they load up on sugary fruit and nectar that easily converts to energy. They prefer the darkest colored fruits and may ignore green grapes and yellow cherries even if ripe. Some people consider orioles pests as their voracious appetites can damage fruit crops. Orioles consider these people pests and feel they need to learn to share.

Orioles vanish all too soon, winging off in August. Like other night migrators, they can crash into buildings and towers if disoriented by light pollution or rainstorms. Their population is also impacted by loss of habitat and the use of insecticides that kill their prey and can also harm them.

So how can you support these amazing creatures in the few months they visit Ohio? There are ways to make your backyard oriole-friendly—just remember nature gives no guarantees!

• Set out orange slices (they LOVE the taste and color) and purple or red grapes. Serve the fruit on platform feeders or suet cages (you can skewer cut oranges directly on branches). Put them out by mid-April and make sure they are visible to oriole passerbys.
• Offer sugar water (1 part sugar to 4 parts water) in an orange-colored nectar feeder. A hummingbird feeder may be too small for orioles to access.
• Put out a small amount of grape jelly in a dish. Baltimore orioles LOVE grape jelly.
• Add a bird bath, preferably with a running/bubbling water feature. Orioles are drawn to the sound of water.
• Plant fruit-bearing plants such as raspberries, crabapples, and blackberries (if you are willing to share). See Lesley the Bird Nerd on attracting Baltimore orioles HERE.

Enjoy this lovely DOCUMENTARY about these lovely birds.  

C Christian

Some of the countless varieties of Solanum lycopersicum (our tasty tomatoes)

photo by S Vradenburg

What is it about tomatoes that makes growing a plump, juicy, sweet tomato proof of garden mastery? Every year millions of people plant tomato seeds knowing that THIS year will be different, or better, or perfection.

Along with the search for the supreme Solanum lycopersicum come suggested amendments that many people believe will bring this season's success. Some are familiar, such as putting eggshells in planting holes. Others are less known, such as incorporating multi-vitamins. Just because someone believes their solution is THE ONE doesn't make it so.

Before trying anything, test your soil. Providing good soil is the first step toward tomato success. Now that you have your test results, let’s take a look at some highly touted tomato growing amendments:

EGGSHELLS: It’s a common belief among gardeners that adding eggshells to your planting hole will forestall blossom end rot. Blossom end rot reflects a calcium deficiency, and eggshells are full of calcium. Bring on the eggshells? Not so fast. Did your soil test show your garden is calcium-deficient? Most soils have enough calcium, so adding more is wasteful. Also, anyone with a compost pile knows that eggshells don’t break down quickly. The issue of calcium deficiency is likely more of a watering problem than a lack of calcium. Calcium enters the plant through the roots, so making sure the roots have consistent moisture will go farther to prevent blossom end rot than adding calcium. The good news is that eggshells won’t hurt the plant and they add organic matter to the soil. Why not put them in your compost pile? Learn more HERE.

ASPIRIN: Sounds far-fetched, right? Tomatoes don’t get headaches. However, salicylic acid, derived from willow bark, can keep tomatoes from being infected with potato purple top phytoplasma, a bacterial disease that can affect tomatoes and other members of the solanaceae family. Research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that tomato plants sprayed with a solution of salicylic acid or having the soil drenched with the same solution either prevented the phytoplasma from infecting the plant or greatly diminished its effects. Learn more HERE.

BONEMEAL: As its name suggests, bonemeal comes from dried ground bones. Bonemeal is a good source of phosphorus and calcium. Still, what does your soil test show? It will give you recommendations for phosphorus. This element is beneficial in the correct ratio to other elements and breaks down slowly in the soil. An excess of phosphorus is a major culprit in toxic algae blooms, which use up available oxygen and kill other life in the waterways. Learn more HERE.

FISH: Using fish as a fertilizer has a history dating over millennia. Indigenous peoples understood the benefits of adding fish amendments, planting the three sisters -- corn, bean and squash -- in a hole fertilized by a fish head. Many people tout fish emulsion as an effective, organic fertilizer. Research bears this out, showing fish emulsion usually has the right balance of N-P-K and several micronutrients, including calcium. The main drawback is the odor. There have been cases of plants treated with fish emulsion being dug up by hungry raccoons in search of a meal. Learn more HERE.

EPSOM SALTS: For whatever reason, many people swear by adding Epsom salts to their garden. Again, (I know, broken record here) check the results of your soil test. Epsom salts is magnesium sulfate, a secondary nutrient essential for plant growth. However, unless your test shows a magnesium deficiency, adding Epsom salts is likely to do more harm than good. A magnesium deficiency most often occurs in intensely cropped fields, not in home gardens. Learn more HERE.

MULTI-VITAMINS: Plants need minerals and other chemicals found in soil or soil supplements. They are not human and so don’t need human-targeted multi-vitamins for nutrients. An interesting experiment reported from the 2004 California State Science Fair compared parsley plants that were watered with plain water to plants watered with solutions of four different nutrients: calcium, iron, Vitamin D and Vitamin C. This experiment concluded that the plants gown in Vitamin D and calcium showed the most benefit while Vitamin C and iron affected the plants negatively. There is other research that suggests some benefit of vitamins but no conclusion. In this case, more research is needed. Learn more HERE.

And let us not forget COFFEE GROUNDS, purported to make soil more acidic, and BANANA PEELS, which contain a variety of beneficial elements. Rather than burying them with your tomato seedlings, why not add the grounds and peels to your compost pile, or simply bury them in the garden. As they break down their organic matter will enrich the soil.

There are many myths about what’s good for your tomatoes specifically or your garden in general. The bottom line is that there is no quick or easy way to grow spectacular, juicy tomatoes. Use the essential tools of a soil test and healthy skepticism when deciding what to put in your soil or feed your plants. When in doubt, call your local extension office, where the information is research-based. Facts never fail.

S Vradenburg

Cabbages among the blooms---win win!

photo by Lin Jerry

What’s that cabbage doing in the flower bed? It’s part of a vegetable growing strategy called edible landscaping, which intersperses vegetable plants in flower or shrub borders. It’s a great use of garden real estate, and a lifesaver when dedicated vegetable beds are not an option. Reduced pest pressure is an edible landscaping benefit—isolating vegetable plantings can confuse pests and make the “goodies” harder for them to find. What a convenience to harvest vegetables from ornamental beds close to the back door and just steps from the kitchen! Then there is the beauty and interest vegetables contribute to flower and shrub beds. A head of cabbage or a ribbon of lettuce make the perfect foil for bright flowers, and colorful vegetables give green shrubbery a boost. When you’re planning your ornamental beds this spring why not incorporate some vegetable plants? 

Some crops, such as bush beans or peas, are short term and leave a void when harvested. That does not preclude their use in ornamental beds. Ferny carrot foliage, beautiful heads of cabbage, and frilly, colorful lettuces earn their garden spot. Plan to follow their harvest by filling in with flowers or vegetables that offer a fall harvest or bloom. Alternately, plant edibles between plants that will expand as space becomes available.  

Some vegetable plants present a season-long display. Consider these:

• KALE is a great addition to the flower bed. Many cultivars sport blue and red hues and the leaves offer texture to the max. Shorter cultivars make great edging plants, while taller cultivars can be tucked into the middle or back of beds. Kale can take some shade, needing only 4-6 hours of sun per day. Always harvest the oldest leaves first to renew plants. 
• SWISS CHARD is another great ornamental bed plant, especially the cultivars with colorful foliage and stems, such as Bright Lights. As with kale, chard tolerates some shade, and older, outer leaves should be harvested first. 
• EGGPLANT rivals most ornamental plants in beauty. From the purple cast of leaves and stems to the purple flowers and fruit, this plant is a stunner. The traditional eggplant shape and color make garden visitors pause, and unique new cultivars with white or striped fruit in assorted sizes are hard to resist. 
• POLE AND RUNNER BEANS, particularly SCARLET RUNNER BEANS, add a vertical accent to ornamental beds. The red flowers and purple veins of Scarlet Runners are particularly beautiful.  Hummingbirds and butterflies love them too. Make sure you plant these beans next to a strong support. They happily intermix with clematis and rose vines. 
• PARSLEY'S cut and curly foliage blends beautifully in ornamental beds. Plant it singly or in rows as an edging or accent. Harvesting oldest leaves first keeps the plant producing and looking its best. Parsley tolerates a lot of shade. 
• PEPPER plants are a good fit for ornamental beds. Their leaves are glossy, and the fruits and flowers decorative. Hot peppers, in particular, pack a visual punch. Like eggplants, peppers require a full-sun spot in the bed.

Edible landscaping options are endless. Purple cauliflower, red basils, dill, broccolini, beets—these colorful veggies and herbs pack a nutritious punch and a visual treat. Don’t stop with annual vegetables. Tuck in edible perennials, shrubs and trees—blueberries, asparagus, dwarf fruit trees, etc.—for long-term harvest. 

To ensure success, pay attention to sunlight and spacing requirements. Powdery mildew and other diseases are as dangerous in the mixed border as the vegetable bed. Applying water below the leaf canopy is always a good practice. Fertilize and mulch as you would in your vegetable garden. Watch the use of pesticides—what you find acceptable in the ornamental garden may not be appropriate for food crops.

Whether you plant swaths of kale with the flowers this year or pop in an eggplant here and there, give edible landscaping a try. Mixing it up in the garden is a good thing!

K Edgington

May Checklist

• Plant summer annuals and vegetables after the last frost. (The average last frost date is May 15th in the Akron area.) Water regularly and protect from any cold snaps.
• Weed now to prevent proliferation in the summer.
• Mow grass to a height of 2-3 inches, leaving nutritious clippings on the lawn.
• Mulch flower beds (and vegetables) once the soil has warmed.
• Consider starting a compost pile. HOW TO START A COMPOST PILE: Orange County Master Gardeners, California
• Control for slugs and snails during damp/rainy periods SLUGS AND SNAILS: University of California IPM Program
• Prune spring-blooming trees/shrubs such as forsythia and lilacs after spring flowering. PRUNING FLOWERING SHRUBS: PenState Extension
• Spray repellent periodically for rabbits, deer, and other foraging guests. Tender perennials are a favorite.
• Put up hummingbird feeders.

J Gramlich