Good morning from Tennessee! I never realized that pollinators would enjoy coleus spikes. At this point in the gardening season, I’ll join you and not deadhead them anymore. 👍👍🦋🐝
Hello! I know, right? We are told to always pinch the blooms. I understand this recommendation because the coleus will then not put the energy into the beautiful foliage. So, I let mine flower like I mentioned later in the summer / early fall so the pollinators can enjoy. Good luck, and let me know how it goes! 😊
That is awesome you saw a hummer on your tiny coleus blooms! I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it because those blooms are to small. I am lucky that I don't deal with spidermites. I think we are way too humid for them.
You can purchase hard plastic spiky pieces it’s called scat cat… Or bird spikes and you can place these all throughout your garden bed or in each pot with your flowers and it will deter the squirrels from digging around your plants or in your pots … The squirrels are digging up plants and eating the roots an bulbs because they need vitamins and minerals that they can get from the roots… I’ve spent close to $100 on a couple of different kinds of little hard plastic spiked pieces that I’ve secured around all my plants and it’s so worth it! Also squirrels are not protected. They’re like rats so you can trap them with special traps and take them far far away or euthanize them humanely … Like a pew pew another great video❤
I have heard of these from another commenter (maybe you recommended scat cat to me earlier!), but I just haven't done it yet because I have a puppy. Maybe that wouldn't be an issue?
@@ButterfliesNBirds I’m brand new to gardening this year… So I am still learning something new every week. It seems like…. The squirrels still come and visit my yard and drink from the birdbaths but they don’t dig around the plants anymore it’s been very effective … loving all your videos❤
Well, it sounds like you are doing wonderful as a new gardener! I just encourage you because it makes such a difference for our pollinators. Thank you for your suggestions to combat the squirrels!!! 👍😊
Congratulations on the grandbaby! They are so much fun! Ugh! Squirrels are such a pesty varment. Lost many plants, hats and other items to them. You and Jo’s gardens are so lush! Amazing! Not so much here near Dallas. Especially hard when we have water restrictions but luckily not this year!
Thank you!!! 👶🥰 Yes, squirrels have been a very "pesty varmet" for me! 😕 You have it harder I think in the Dallas area because you have high heat too but you typically get less rain than we do down here south of Houston.
Always great looking at your garden. The squirrels and other critters have tormented me all year! I've never seen the kind of destruction like this year. It's been quite challenging, lol.
A commenter on one of my videos said her husband calls squirrels "tree rats"! They have done so much damage to our home/yard throughout the years. I'm sorry you are having issues with them this year. I think some years it is worse than others. 😕
I have a small water fountain on the garden, the noise gets the squirrels attention and they always get down the trees to drink from the fountain. Maybe that works for you. They are very destructive, I would love for them to move far away from my garden. Their cuteness is not an excuse for their behavior 😊.
I am right there with you! It is interesting that the squirrels will use all our bird baths to drink from, so they have no need to destroy my drip irrigation, other than they want to chew on the hard plastic. 😕
Great looking Coleous. I keep thinking about taking cuttings of mine to grow in winter inside till next spring not sure how successful it would be but they are so expensive it might be worth trying.
I did take cuttings two years ago and kept them through to the next spring. I didn't really like them though when spring came (I didn't like the color), so I didn't plant them in the garden, but kept them in the containers. They did fine, but weren't wonderful. I also think I should take cuttings each year, but I don't do it.
I live in the country. The squirrels used to break the birdfeedrs to get to the birdseed. I have a cat that appeared in my yard a few years ago. They still try to eat the birdseed but the cat chases the squirls away.
I'm in zone 9b Florida and have all the same conditions as you except I have sandy soil instead of clay. Plus, I believe you do get a bit colder in the winter. We went though last winter without a freeze but that is the exception..it only takes one!
Hello! I hope you weren't affected by Hurricane Helene that just barreled through the Florida Big Bend area. We have had a freeze event each of the last three winters, which was unusual for us as the temps got down to 19 degrees. And you are so right - it only takes one!
You might want to try taking cuttings of the Porterweed soon if you do that. Almost Eden nursery might not be open in spring for mail orders. I am not sure about that. I hope so and plan to take some cuttings for my garden, at least of the Ruby red porterweed, a favorite of the hummingbirds.
Oh dear, is Almost Eden closing? I have my red porterweed in a container, so I will take that in the garage if we have freezing temperatures this winter. I think I am going to take cuttings from my "dwarf" red porterweed though because I have that one planted in the ground.
I am not sure if Almost Eden nursery is closing. I guess time will tell. I also took cuttings of the Porterweed and tall Pentas and hope they root for next year plants.
Hello neighbor! I will fertilize my containers with Bloom! from Espoma. (It is a liquid organic fertilizer). I should fertilize my containers more than I do though. I also fertilize my hibiscus with fertilizer specifically for tropical hibiscus. I don't fertilize my garden beds. I only put down compost or soil conditioner after our last frost.
Good morning from Tennessee! I never realized that pollinators would enjoy coleus spikes. At this point in the gardening season, I’ll join you and not deadhead them anymore. 👍👍🦋🐝
Hello! I know, right? We are told to always pinch the blooms. I understand this recommendation because the coleus will then not put the energy into the beautiful foliage. So, I let mine flower like I mentioned later in the summer / early fall so the pollinators can enjoy. Good luck, and let me know how it goes! 😊
You're right about blooming coleus, I saw a hummer on mine the other day! Oh those pesky squirrels! Do you ever deal with spidermites?
That is awesome you saw a hummer on your tiny coleus blooms! I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it because those blooms are to small. I am lucky that I don't deal with spidermites. I think we are way too humid for them.
You can purchase hard plastic spiky pieces it’s called scat cat… Or bird spikes and you can place these all throughout your garden bed or in each pot with your flowers and it will deter the squirrels from digging around your plants or in your pots … The squirrels are digging up plants and eating the roots an bulbs because they need vitamins and minerals that they can get from the roots… I’ve spent close to $100 on a couple of different kinds of little hard plastic spiked pieces that I’ve secured around all my plants and it’s so worth it! Also squirrels are not protected. They’re like rats so you can trap them with special traps and take them far far away or euthanize them humanely … Like a pew pew another great video❤
I have heard of these from another commenter (maybe you recommended scat cat to me earlier!), but I just haven't done it yet because I have a puppy. Maybe that wouldn't be an issue?
@@ButterfliesNBirds I’m brand new to gardening this year… So I am still learning something new every week. It seems like…. The squirrels still come and visit my yard and drink from the birdbaths but they don’t dig around the plants anymore it’s been very effective … loving all your videos❤
Well, it sounds like you are doing wonderful as a new gardener! I just encourage you because it makes such a difference for our pollinators. Thank you for your suggestions to combat the squirrels!!! 👍😊
Congratulations on the grandbaby! They are so much fun! Ugh! Squirrels are such a pesty varment. Lost many plants, hats and other items to them. You and Jo’s gardens are so lush! Amazing! Not so much here near Dallas. Especially hard when we have water restrictions but luckily not this year!
Thank you!!! 👶🥰
Yes, squirrels have been a very "pesty varmet" for me! 😕
You have it harder I think in the Dallas area because you have high heat too but you typically get less rain than we do down here south of Houston.
Beautiful! Thank you for the tour! 😊😊😊
Thanks for visiting! 👍😊🌺🌞
Always great looking at your garden. The squirrels and other critters have tormented me all year! I've never seen the kind of destruction like this year. It's been quite challenging, lol.
A commenter on one of my videos said her husband calls squirrels "tree rats"! They have done so much damage to our home/yard throughout the years. I'm sorry you are having issues with them this year. I think some years it is worse than others. 😕
@@ButterfliesNBirds * I love the term "tree rats", lol!!!
I do too ... very appropriate too! 😂
I have a small water fountain on the garden, the noise gets the squirrels attention and they always get down the trees to drink from the fountain. Maybe that works for you. They are very destructive, I would love for them to move far away from my garden. Their cuteness is not an excuse for their behavior 😊.
I am right there with you! It is interesting that the squirrels will use all our bird baths to drink from, so they have no need to destroy my drip irrigation, other than they want to chew on the hard plastic. 😕
Great looking Coleous. I keep thinking about taking cuttings of mine to grow in winter inside till next spring not sure how successful it would be but they are so expensive it might be worth trying.
I did take cuttings two years ago and kept them through to the next spring. I didn't really like them though when spring came (I didn't like the color), so I didn't plant them in the garden, but kept them in the containers. They did fine, but weren't wonderful. I also think I should take cuttings each year, but I don't do it.
I live in the country. The squirrels used to break the birdfeedrs to get to the birdseed. I have a cat that appeared in my yard a few years ago. They still try to eat the birdseed but the cat chases the squirls away.
Argh ... squirrels are my nemesis! lol.
I'm in zone 9b Florida and have all the same conditions as you except I have sandy soil instead of clay. Plus, I believe you do get a bit colder in the winter. We went though last winter without a freeze but that is the exception..it only takes one!
Hello! I hope you weren't affected by Hurricane Helene that just barreled through the Florida Big Bend area.
We have had a freeze event each of the last three winters, which was unusual for us as the temps got down to 19 degrees. And you are so right - it only takes one!
You might want to try taking cuttings of the Porterweed soon if you do that. Almost Eden nursery might not be open in spring for mail orders. I am not sure about that. I hope so and plan to take some cuttings for my garden, at least of the Ruby red porterweed, a favorite of the hummingbirds.
Oh dear, is Almost Eden closing?
I have my red porterweed in a container, so I will take that in the garage if we have freezing temperatures this winter. I think I am going to take cuttings from my "dwarf" red porterweed though because I have that one planted in the ground.
I am not sure if Almost Eden nursery is closing. I guess time will tell. I also took cuttings of the Porterweed and tall Pentas and hope they root for next year plants.
That was a smart thing to do - take cuttings! I need to do that too, but I haven't done it yet.
Hi Crystal. What do you prefer to fertilize with?
Hello neighbor! I will fertilize my containers with Bloom! from Espoma. (It is a liquid organic fertilizer). I should fertilize my containers more than I do though. I also fertilize my hibiscus with fertilizer specifically for tropical hibiscus. I don't fertilize my garden beds. I only put down compost or soil conditioner after our last frost.