5 Reasons to Add Hummingbird Groundcover to your Yard

Who doesn’t want to find late-season bloomers for their garden? Let’s face it, most of our favorite blooms fade out by August. I discovered Creeping Hummingbird Trumpet Zauscherhneria garrettii (Fire Chalice)® or (Orange Carpet)® or Z. latifolia (Woody's Peach Surprise)® as a way to add color, then discovered it has many other benefits.

1. As a late season evergreen perennial, Creeping Hummingbird Trumpet Fire Chalice, blooms year after year. It is adaptive to low water conditions. This superb plant spreads to form a loose mat of low growing, bright green foliage. Starting late July, it lights up the garden with a profusion of bright red or orange flowers. With a drooping habit, it looks great in containers, rock walls, and hanging over raised beds. Regular watering when in bloom keeps the flowers popping for 4 to 8 weeks.

2. The plant's continuous bloom is key to bringing back birds year after year. The crimson color inch-long blooms attract hummingbirds and provide much-needed nectar forage.

3. Creeping Hummingbird Trumpet Zauschneria garrettii

Orange Carpet ®  is a native plant. It originated from the mountains of southern Idaho and thrives in our climate. 

4. You can use it in a lot of ways - not only as ground cover, but also in containers, rock garden, and mass-plantings. You can plant it anytime during the spring or summer.

5. My personal favorite: deadheading is not required! (!!)
Other late season bloomers that attract hummingbirds: Hummingbird Mint (Agastache), Scarlet Hedge Nettle, Beard Tongue Penstemon, Salvia, Columbine, Coral Bells, Red Birds in a Tree, Texas Red Yucca, Bee Balm.

Where to buy Creeping Hummingbird Trumpet: Look for a seedling at nurseries that sell native plants.
I have found it at:

• Adams Gardens & Nursery-Nampa,
• Edwards Greenhouse,
• Draggin' Wing High Desert Nursery-Boise.
• It is available online at High Country Gardens.

Gardening to attract hummingbirds requires nectar-rich flowers as well as water and shelter because not all birds will visit feeders. Adding Creeping Hummingbird Trumpet to your bird buffet can help insure the future for the birds, replacing food lost due to human activities like agriculture and urbanization.

Earthworms for Your Garden

Have you ever wondered what the best worms are for your garden? There are many benefits to having them, but which ones can give you the most benefits? This article will shed some light on our wriggly little garden friends and help you understand their benefits.

In North America, we have about 180 species of earthworms, and approximately 4,000 species worldwide. They play a critical role in breaking down and decomposing plants and other organic material in our yard, garden, and compost pile. In their wake, they also leave nutrient-dense waste (called “castings”) which is second to none when it comes to improving your soil.

Earthworms can be divided into three groups, each having unique characteristics. Anecic worms play an important role in soil formation and leaf decomposition by pulling leaves into their deep vertical permanent burros. These are also known as nightcrawlers. Endogeic worms build lateral burrows in the soil and have little effect on the surface as they are the only worms that prefer to eat large amounts of soil rich in organic material. They also play a role in the aeration and decomposition of dead plant roots. Epigeic worms, which include the common red wiggler, live on top of the soil eating rotting organic matter, and have a high rate of reproduction. They are also commonly used in vermicomposting systems.

As much as we love earthworms, some problems can arise in their presence. The biggest complaint that homeowners have is that they create lumpy surfaces in grass and other areas that people prefer to keep level (see photo to the left). On a worldwide level, humans can create issues when we introduce worm species to new places and create an imbalance in the local ecosystems. But, generally speaking, the benefits of native earthworms far outweigh their inconveniences.

What are the main benefits to earthworms? To start, worm castings contain concentrated humus and may contain 5 times more nitrogen, 7 times more phosphorus, and 1000 times more beneficial bacteria than the original soil that helps plants thrive. Worms aid in soil aggregation, creating pores for the movement of air, water, nutrients, and roots. Worms can also eat their body weight in food a day.

So, what are some ways to attract and keep worms? In general, it is recommended to disturb the soil as little as possible because we have learned that we can disrupt the soil food web, release precious carbon, and more. Tilling also harms our earthworms. Reducing or eliminating tilling is a great start to keeping earthworms in your yard or garden. Additionally, covering the soil with mulch and organic matter on the surface will help feed the worms as well as reduce the need for tilling and weeding.

Creating a welcoming place for earthworms in your garden, yard, and compost pile has many benefits that you can’t get anywhere else. These little creatures offer big payoffs if you attract and keep them around. Happy worm farming!

Tomato Cages

It’s about this time of year when gardeners begin to get excited about growing tomatoes. Regardless of whether the tomatoes you grow will be used in sauce, salads, or soups, the plants will require proper support. Let’s talk about some options for tomato cages!

There are as many designs and material options for tomato cages as preferences for their use. Here are some things to consider about materials:

Wood
Wooden cages can be built or purchased and are relatively inexpensive, but the wood will eventually rot so you may get fewer years of use from this type of support.

Wire
Supports made of wire will last longer than wood, but sometimes they aren’t strong enough to support larger, indeterminate varieties of tomatoes.

PVC
PVC works well but sometimes takes longer to put together and the sun will eventually weaken them. Additionally, these cages tend to be bigger and bulkier.

Heavier Gauge Metal
Concrete reinforcing mesh is made of stronger metal that will last many years and you can make them very tall to accommodate tomato plants that reach for the stars. But making cages out of this material is more difficult and expensive.

Once you determine the material you prefer, it’s good to consider the design elements of your tomato cage. Pruning and harvesting your tomatoes will require spaces for reaching through with your hands or tools, so make sure your cage accommodates that. The bottom of the cage needs to be open enough to allow for easy weeding and watering. It’s also good to consider where and how you will store your tomato cages over winter. Collapsible options are convenient, but sometimes weaker than cages that take up more space and weigh more.

Once you have determined what design and material you want to use, numerous websites will give you detailed instructions on building your tomato cages and the pros and cons of the multitude of designs available.

One thing is certain, you will need to support your tomatoes to get a healthier and more abundant harvest. Enjoy!