Thursday, September 10, 2015

"getting plants wet" is what it boils down to

The proper method of watering is frequently overthought. The purpose is just to get plants wet. It's that simple.

Drip irrigation works in one situation – row crops where there are emitters at the bases of plants. Even there the system isn’t perfect. You can’t see where the water is going and the maintenance is high. It’s impossible to avoid dry spots and supersaturated spots. Rodents love to eat holes in the tapes and tubes. In landscape, especially in groundcover beds, drip is a poor choice at best, and a disaster in most cases.

Spray systems are usually better. You can see where the water is going and there is better coverage. Plants like to be watered from above – like when it rains. Don’t accept the claim that moisture on the foliage leads to disease issues. That’s just not the case . Drip systems might save a little water, but if the plants die, what have you gained?

Several cities are now dictating the use of drip irrigation. These policies should be changed. An alternate policy of requiring organic landscape management would save a great deal of water. It would also reduce air, soil and water pollution. Landscape projects would also look better, be healthier and be easier to maintain.

OWEN YOST, in addition to being a blogger, is a licensed Landscape Architect emeritus who has lived and worked in north Texas for over 30 years. He is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award of the Native Plant Society of Texas, and is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), International Federation of Landscape Architects, National Wildlife Federation and the Audubon Society. His office is at Yost87@charter.net in Denton.

Monday, September 7, 2015

Are there Bluebirds in north Texas???

Eastern Bluebirds

Bluebirds are here in north Texas all year long. They’re shy and prefer open meadows, which are disappearing fast. That’s why we don’t see them much. But they’re here. The bluebird population (the “Eastern Bluebird” – the one here in north Texas) declined about 90% between 1900 and the early 70s. Now there is a slight resurgence thanks to humans feeding and putting out appropriate housing.

8 million tons of trees are cut down yearly …just to make catalogs. Birds lived and raised nestlings in now-cut-down trees. But now there’s a free service to help you decide what goes into your mailbox. You click on www.CatalogChoice.org to check it out. Catalog Choice is endorsed by the Nat’l Wildlife Federation and Natural Resources Defense Council. Not only can it stop mass-mailed junk catalogs, but lets you stop “special interest” catalogs that may or may not be of interest to you.

Sunday, August 30, 2015

September is crucial for our hummingbirds; they need your help

We are about to enter a very critical period for north Texas hummingbirds. Our hummingbirds will leave us toward the end of this September to start their fall migration to Mexico and Central America. The quality of food you put out has nothing at all to do with the time they depart (it’s totally genetic – spurred by length of day). But the nectar they get in September can mean life or death.

The hummingbirds need to put on all the energy-producing fat they can in order to successfully make the long flight, which is mostly non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico. Without enough fat stored up, they may not make it!

This is why September is so critical. Put out feeders filled with clear, fresh nectar (none of that red stuff), helping them “pork up” for the long migration, and encouraging them to return to your yard next spring.

What’s with all the leaves falling? All trees (except for cone-bearing tree like pines) are losing leaves in our current hot/dry weather. It may be showing up stronger this year because of the cool and super-wet spring. It's basically a normal adjustment in the tree’s transpiration system. When it's extremely hot, plants can lose more moisture going out from the leaves than the root system can pull up from the ground. Thus the trees even things out by dropping some foliage. It’s nothing to be alarmed about.

To counteract this flood the entire root zone well and then wait as long as you can without the tree wilting before watering again. Your tree should be fine. It is more serious if the leaves are turning brown and staying on the tree instead of falling off.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

When is a bird “Accidental” in birdspeak?

"Accidental" is the term used by avid birders to describe a bird that’s visiting where it shouldn’t normally be. One or two (or a whole flock) will suddenly show up for no apparent reason. Example: a Snow Bunting at Lake Lewisville instead of its native Pacific Northwest (it happened last year). Another real example is a Brant (a shoreline bird normally seen in winter on the east and west coasts) that was seen by several people in west Texas. The reason could be a strong wind (hurricane?) or that it just got very lost.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Landscape Architect’s view of dead trees and birds:

By this time, all of the trees in north Texas that are still alive have leafed out long ago. So we can plainly see what trees are dead. If a dead tree is in danger of falling on your house or into the street, by all means cut it down (after making sure there are no nests in it). How you cut it down however can make a big difference. Birds live in trees, and fewer trees mean fewer birds.

At my house, I have most dead trees cut down, leaving very tall stumps; 6 feet or 12 feet tall! What’s left is a stump (and sometimes bigger branches) for birds to perch on and make nests in. If the stump attracts ants or other bugs, most birds will take care of that matter! (HINT: mark dead trees now, so they can be cut in the winter).

What’s removed frlom a dead tree is the flared top – the “crown” that can catch a strong wind, causing it to sway and possibly topple. The wood in these tall stumps gets softer over time, making it easy for birds to excavate a roost or home. Hence, more birds!

Is this sexist? In almost all bird species, only the male sings. Mainly it’s for courtship and territorial reasons. In a very few species (in north Texas, the Carolina Wren and Northern Cardinal) the female also sings occasionally.

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Here's why native plants will probably lower your water bill

Most native plants (plants that grow here naturally) have deep, extensive root systems. The roots let then get hold of water that's out of the reach of other plants, and survive extended periods of drought and heat.

You can see that in the drawing above. Typically, the root system of Little Blue Stem (sixth from right) is a little over 6 feet deep and Purple Coneflower is roughly 5 feet deep. By comparison, the roots of Bermuda grass go less than a foot deep, and St.Augustine roots are about 2 inches deep - so they demand a lot of expensive water to stay green.

As you know, a Texas summer bakes the ground and kills shallow-rooted plants. But native plants have grown here naturally for centuries, without anyone watering or fertilizing them.

are old birdnests re-used? Hardly ever! A very few cavity-nesting birds will re-use nests within the same breeding season, even though there are real health dangers (tiny mite eggs may have been brought in, which could hatch and infest nestlings). But ALL birds will insist on finding (or making) new nests in subsequent seasons. That’s why I strongly recommend removing old, empty nests and cleaning out empty birdhouses.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Play host to interesting birds during the upcoming migration with a waystation

Every year many, many unusual birds from all over this continent stop for awhile in north Texas during the fall migration period. These are birds that are flying south from up north. They want and need breaks from a long flight.

Almost all birds fly in stages, stopping several times along the way to rest and refuel. What they want most is fresh food to get their energy back up. You might see something like a Rose-breasted Grosbeak that departed from, for instance, Indiana. Some species (like Goldfinch and Junco) come to this area for the mild winter (this is the south after all)

Setting up a waystation for migrating birds is amazingly simple and very productive. Several people have had Baltimore orioles visit their waystations. They’ve seen warblers that aren’t normally here too.

You probably have some elements of a waystation already. It can have any number of appearances, but a proper waystation is simply a grouping of at least three feeders (each offering a different kind of seed), safe cover and water (yes, even in cool weather). All within an area about 10 ft. by 10 ft. Migrating birds look for all these things.

The period of fall migration extends from early September to mid-December. Many migration routes pass through north Texas. A group of birds may take a slightly different route each year. One thing is certain however. Each bird appreciates “waystations” enroute.

The size of the yard a waystation’s in doesn’t matter much. He or she can use even tiny waystations to fuel up, get much-needed water, and rest up (perhaps for a few days) before continuing.

For most birds, the actual migration flights occur in the cool of the night, since birds navigate by the stars, so we may not see them in flight. Also at night, there are few predators and the winds are more predictable. Their migration is governed entirely by the changing length of daylight, the sun's angles along their flight paths and the position of the stars.

So, put out a well-stocked waystation during migration periods. Then sit back and look for some “non-Texas” birds as they migrate through here.