Birdfeeding

[ysabetwordsmith]

Today is cloudy and cool. It rained again last night.

I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 4/30/25 -- I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches, a mourning dove, a brown thrasher, and a starling.

I planted a purple Wave petunia in the barrel garden.

EDIT 4/30/25 -- I planted the barrel garden with a a purple-and-white striped Wave petunia, a yellow callibrachoa / million bells, 4 zinnias that are yellow with pink centers, 8 marigolds in two different 'bolero' cultivars, and 6 snapdragons (2 each of purple, coral, and yellow).  There are spaces left for a yesterday-today-and-tomorrow petunia, a lantana, and sowing moonflower seeds.

It started drizzling while I was working, but not enough to make me quit.

EDIT 4/30/25 -- I planted 4 assorted coleus and 4 purple and white mixed sweet alyssum in the big ceramic pot with grapes on it.  I had to move some of the outdoor flats of seedlings to make room for that.

EDIT 4/30/25 -- I did more work around the patio but it started raining again.  :/

EDIT 4/30/25 -- I planted 4 'Bright Lights' Swiss chard in a pot on the new picnic table.  I don't even know if we like Swiss chard, but it's worth a try -- and pretty enough to serve as an ornamental if it doesn't taste good.  The stems are pink, yellow, orange, etc.

I lost about an hour because it was raining again.

I've seen a lady cardinal and several house finches at the feeders.

We've got other plans for tonight, so I am done planting for now.  

Comments

[trepkos]

How do you get hold of so many plants without breaking the bank?! Is there some local plant-swapping club or something?

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

1) I look for places that have cheaper prices. A farm store charges MUCH less than a fancy nursery. I buy as much of the "basics" (e.g. marigolds, parsley) at cheap places and maybe hit a fancier place for a few extras. Trees and shrubs are astronomical at a nursery and expensive even at a farm store, but closer to affordable at some mail order places. Sadly the cheap mail order nurseries that did those are all gone, but it's still possible to find bargains.

2) As much as possible, I buy small plants, in multipacks if I can get them. I got 4 basil seedlings in a pack for less than 1 bigger one in a pot.

3) Some places will give you a discount if you buy a whole flat of plants that are all in the same type of container.

4) Watch for bedraggled plants or other sales. The basils were 25% off and there were others up to 75% off. I got a huge order from American Meadows because they ran a season-end sale in fall, which plants just arrived recently. I've found end-season bags of 25-50 bulbs for $5.

Admittedly, my plant budget is higher than it used to be, but even when it was smaller I usually managed to get a decent selection of things.

Other ways to save that I also use:

1) Buy seeds and you can get many plants for less than the price of one. I've already got all my seeds for this year, unless I spot a random amazing thing. I've already started some wildflowers and native grasses. It's not warm enough to start some other things yet.

2) Divide what you have. I dug out the daffodil bed and planted many dozens of bulblets along the savanna hedge, most of which bloomed this spring!

3) Once you have a permaculture going, stuff just ... appears. Wild grapes, elderberries, and cup plants are among my surprises here.

4) Swap seeds and plants with other gardeners. One of my favorite hostas -- a plain dark green that grows vigorously -- came from a plant swap. I wish we had a club, but I've only found occasional events.

5) Landraces! Save seeds from things you grow and establish your own strain. I have Shithouse Marigolds, although I also buy some. I'm working on sunflowers next.

Re: Thoughts

[trepkos]

We don't have a great deal of room, so bulk buying is not on the cards. I do look for the sale plants, but even those are getting expensive! We keep getting Field Maples coming up from I don't know where, and we give those to tree-planting groups.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

For small spaces, there's a different option: get together with other small-yard friends and split things. You may not want a 4-pack or 6-pack of the same tomato, or need 200 peas in a packet. Figure out how much each of you will need, and where your interests overlap, divide up the goods. If a 4-pack of tomatoes is $2, then each plant is only $.25.