Who doesn't love watching birds in our gardens?!!! Many people put out bird seed feeders or sugar water feeders to attract birds. While feeders can provide supplemental food, the best course is to create natural, bird-friendly plant gardens that provide birds with native, healthy food.

There are three groups of plants that attract birds and each group draws different types of birds: Nectar plants, plants that provide seeds or nuts, and plants that produce berries or fruit. Many plants will provide more than one source of food, i.e., nectar in the spring and berries in autumn.

Here is a list of a few favorite native plants in each group and some of the birds they may attract.

Hummingbirds and Nectar

Nectar is a great source of energy since it contains water, antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, protein and about 15-25% sugars. While all flowering plants produce nectar, native plants generally provide a higher concentration of nectar in comparison to cultivated plants. Flowers with long blooming periods or repeat blooming will provide birds with a consistent food supply for extended periods.

Hummingbirds prefer tubular shaped flowers that fit the length of their beak, and are bright in color, particularly red. Native salvias (sages), penstemon, columbine, and honeysuckle all serve up nectar for hummingbirds.

• Sages (Salvias): There are about 18 sages native to California, with Hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea) being one of them. The common name says it all! Fruity scented dark rose-lilac blossoms appear in March – May. It also produces autumn seeds that attract birds such as sparrows and finches.
• Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis). A small deciduous tree or shrub found in the foothills and mountains of California with distinctive shiny heart-shaped leaves. The showy bright pink or magenta flowers develop in the later winter and spring, growing in clusters all over the shrub, making the plant very colorful and noticeable in the landscape. Goldfinches and sparrows will feed on seeds produced in the fall.
• California Fuchsia (Epilobium canum). There's probably no better California native plant for attracting hummingbirds. A perennial plant, it blooms a bright profusion of scarlet flowers in spring and summer, and is often the only native California flowering plant blooming at the height of summer.

Birds That Eat Seeds

Birds that eat seeds are often the most common birds seen in gardens, which is why many people put up seed feeders. By not deadheading, the flowers will dry up, go to seed, thus providing for seed eaters. Native sunflowers, asters, and coneflowers all produce loads of tiny seeds that are finch and sparrow favorites.  

• Bush sunflower (Encelia californica), commonly referred to as "California bush sunflower.” With abundant bright yellow daises, it is beautiful in late winter through summer. Attracts goldfinches, sparrows, orioles, crows, Scrub jays, grosbeaks.
• California aster (Symphyotrichum chilense). A member of the Asteraceae family it is native to western North America. The summer blooming flowers come in blues, purples and yellow colors. It is also a host plant for the Northern Checkerspot, Field Crescent and Pearl Crescent butterflies.
• Deergrass (Muhlenbergia rigens), also known as Meadow Muhly and Deer Muhly, is a summer-growing, perennial bunchgrass whose seeds attracts woodpeckers, finches, grosbeaks, crows and jays.

Berry Plants are Important to Birds

The presence of winter berries has an important role of sustaining a number of bird species through the colder months. Some insect-eating birds will turn to berries as a supplement to their diets when insects become scarce. Berry plants attract birds such as California thrashers, Western bluebirds, American robins, Northern flickers, Nuttall's woodpeckers, Northern mockingbirds, California scrub jays, orioles, crows, and wrentits. Berries can also be magnets for winter visitors such as cedar waxwings, which travel in large flocks. These showy birds have been known to over-indulge on overripe berries that have started to ferment and become intoxicated, which causes them to fly erratically and crash into windows.

Many shrubs and small trees provide berries that ripen at different times, so providing a seasonal variety, such as cherries for birds during the breeding seasons of spring and summer, and holly in winter, helps sustain birds throughout the year.

• Golden Currant (Ribes aureum). A deciduous plant that blooms in late winter and spring with golden yellow flowers that attract hummingbirds. The ripe berries in autumn are amber yellow to black in color, are edible, and attract a wide range of birds. There are two main varieties: Ribes aureum var. aureum and Ribes var. gracillimum.
• Blue Elderberry (Sambucus Mexicana). Also known as Mexican elderberry, the berries from elderberries are one of the most important sources of food for birds in California. Native from Oregon to Baja all the way to western Texas, it has cream or yellow flowers in the spring and purple berries in the fall.
• Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia).  Toyon is a beautiful perennial chapparal shrub native throughout the western part of California and the Sierra foothills. It is also known by the common names Christmas berry and California holly from the bright red berries it produces during the winter months, which are produced in large quantities, maturing in the fall and persisting well into the winter. Note: the berries are toxic to humans in large amounts.
• California False Buckthorn (Frangula californica). This perennial, evergreen shrub is also known as Coffeeberry due to its berries containing seeds that resemble coffee beans. The shrub produces small, greenish white flowers in the summer, followed by dark berries that are sought after by birds.

By providing a variety of native plants that produce nectar, seeds and berries to attract different types of birds, you'll be providing a healthy haven for birds all year round, along with many other species of pollinators such as bees and butterflies!

Denise Godbout-Avant has been a UCCE Stanislaus County Master Gardener since 2020.

Resources

California Native Plant Society https://www.calscape.org/  and garden planner https://gardenplanner.calscape.org/

A list of plants that naturally attract California Birds to your Garden https://www.laspilitas.com/bird.htm

Audubon native plants database  https://www.audubon.org/native-plants

 

We hope you enjoy this webinar with Maxwell Norton, retired UC Cooperative Extension Advisor for Merced County. Maxwell talks about the history of citrus, how varieties came to be, and how the citrus industry in Southern California became so successful. He also answers questions about pruning, fertilizing, and pests. Citrus Video 

Here are the resources mentioned during the talk.

Citrus varieties
https://citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus-varieties

UC IPM website https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/menu.homegarden.html

Ants
https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7411.html

Selected Citrus Varieties for the Home Gardener https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8472.pdf

Grafting and Budding Citrus and Avocados in the Home Garden
https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8001.pdf

Forestierre Underground Gardens in Fresno, CA
https://undergroundgardens.com/

With spring quickly approaching, many gardeners are dreaming of their garden preparations:  ordering seeds, prepping the soil, cleaning up from last year.  With all these things in mind, have you ever thought about saving the seeds from the crops you grow? There are many benefits in considering this.

• Seeds and plants saved become acclimated to our environment, climate
• There is a greater variety of vegetables to grow
• There may be more genetic diversity when growing old-time veggies
• It is can be cost effective due to higher seed prices

Hybrids vs. Heirlooms

With this in mind, there are some important things to know about what veggies to grow in order to save the seeds. 

There are two major types of seeds:   Hybrid and Heirloom seeds

• Hybrid seeds have been cross pollinated from two different varieties in the same plant species. They are crossed to produce seeds that carry desired characteristics or appearances.
  • Seeds saved from hybrid plants will revert back to their parent plants.
• Heirloom Seeds are non-Hybrid, and open pollinated.
  • Heirloom Seeds are usually more than fifty years old and have been passed down from generation to generation
  • If you plant an Heirloom seed that you have saved from an Heirloom plant, it will grow true to the parent plant.

Spacing plants to prevent cross-pollination

For the seed saving beginner, here is a list of seeds that are easy to save because they are self-pollinating.  However, despite being self-pollinating, it may still be important to space crops for guaranteed purity.  Pollinators can be attracted to the flowers and help with pollination, thus producing offspring with new characteristics. To keep seed varieties ‘pure', using ‘isolation' –planting related varieties at appropriate distance to minimize the chance of crossing.  

How long do seeds last?

This is dependent on the type of seed, but also on how they are taken care of after you save them. To ensure saved seeds will sprout in the future, store them in a cool, dry place away from moisture, heat, and light. 

Common Beans

The seed is the mature bean.  Allow the bean pod to dry on the vine. If growing more than one variety, isolate by at least 20 feet.

• Harvest the dried bean pods and place in a paper bag.
• Dry for a week or more before separating the bean from its pod.
• Grow and harvest from at least 10 plants of the same variety for diversity.  
• Seeds can last up to 4 years.

Eggplant

Allow several fruits from at least 10 plants to ripen far past the edible stage. The skin will become a dark yellow or yellowish-brown color. If growing more than one variety, isolate by at least by 50 feet.

• Mash the pulp by hand as best as you can. The seeds are hard, smooth and plump and won't damage easily.
• Toss seeds and pulp into a bucket of water and stir until pulp separates from the seeds. Seeds will sink.
• Rinse until the water comes out clear. Pour seeds through a screen, spread them in a thin layer and dry for about 3 weeks.
• Seeds can last 3-6 years

Garlic

The clove is the ‘seed', so propagation is achieved by replanting cloves. It is generally agreed that planting the largest cloves will produce the largest bulbs next year. Isolation is not necessary even if growing several varieties.

• After harvest, store garlic at room temperature to prevent premature sprouting.
• Plant from your crop every year.

Lettuce

Seeds are very easy to save.  Allow a dozen plants to grow, unharvested, through the spring and summer.  They will “bolt” (send up seed heads). Isolate by 20 feet if growing more than one variety. Once the seed heads are a yellowing-tan color and very dry, they are ready to save.

• Cut at the stem and place in a paper bag. Once dry, crush the heads and sift to separate the seeds from the chaff.
• Harvest from at least 10 plants of the same variety.
• Seeds can last 2-4 years.

Okra

Pods should be left on the plants until fully mature. Okra is self-pollinating but will cross via bees if two varieties are planted near each other. Plant one variety to ensure purity.

• Pick just as the seeds begin to split.
• Clip and store in paper bag for a few weeks.
• Seeds can last up to 3 years.

Peas

Peas are self-pollinating, however, keep favored plant 20 feet away if growing more than one variety.

• Allow pods to slightly dry on the vine before harvesting.
• When picked, place in a paper bag and allow to dry further for a week or two.
• Thresh them from the pod, and store in a jar or envelope.
• Seeds can last up to 5 years

Peppers

Peppers are very easy to save. Once ripe, it's time to harvest the seeds. Peppers are self-pollinating but will occasionally cross via bees if two varieties are planted near each other. Plant varieties 100 feet away.

• Cut open the ripe fruit, scrape out the seeds and let dry on a paper plate for a week before storing in a jar. 
• Seeds can last up to 2 years.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are mostly self-pollinating, but to ensure purity, separate the favored plant by 10 feet. Allow the fruit to fully ripen on the stem before harvesting. 

• Cut the tomato open and scoop out the seeds.
• Place the seeds in a jar of water and allow to ferment until a white mold forms on top of the water.
• During this process, cover the top of the jar with paper towel to keep flies out.
• Rinse the contents of the jar with water until it comes out clear.
• Allow seeds to settle between rinses. Good seeds will sink to the bottom each time.
• Spread seeds out on a paper plate and allow to dry for 3-4 days before storing in a paper envelope.
• Seeds can last up to 5 years.
• Watch our Tomato Seed Saving Video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvTCfcpLQgw&t=1s

Hopefully, these suggestions will inspire you to begin the exciting adventure of saving your own seeds from the crops you grow.  Happy Gardening!!!

Heidi Aufdermaur has been a UCCE Stanislaus County Master Gardener since 2019; Heidi took all photos used in this article.

Resources

California Master Gardener Handbook.

Seeds Matter. www.seedmatters.org

The Heirloom Life Gardener.  Bake Creek Heirloom Seed Company.  Jere and Emilee Gettle.

 

March 20 is the first day of spring for 2023, and February is the perfect time to start planning for your warm weather vegetable garden. Not sure how to get started, or need some tips? Join the UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners for a class at a local Stanislaus County library near you.  

Participants will receive free carrot and cilantro seed packets!  

Tues, 2/7 at 6:00 p.m. – Salida Library
Wed, 2/8 at 2:30 p.m. – Patterson Library
Sat, 2/11 at 2:00 p.m. – Riverbank Library
Mon, 2/13 at 6:00 p.m. – Ceres Library
Tues, 2/14 at 6:00 p.m. – Oakdale Library
Sat, 2/18 at 2:00 p.m. – Empire Library
Wed, 2/22 at 6:00 p.m. – Turlock Library
Mon, 2/27 at 5:30 p.m. – Modesto Library  

Don't see your local library on our list? Contact them to request our classes.