THAT TIME OF YEAR: Scratching the itch to get out in the garden
by Marcia Kauffman/Victoria County Master Gardener
January 25, 2025
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS – Purple Lantana
Purple Zinnia
Yellow Lantana
This time of year is when gardeners are restless to work in the garden. All I want to do is dig in the soil and plant seeds. I am even satisfied just pulling a few weeds, so I can begin doing something in the garden!! I do tend to arrange one area of my garden as a restaurant for butterflies and hummingbirds. Why do people enjoy hummingbirds? Is it their rapidly beating wings, their vivid colors or the bickering with other hummers? Whatever it is, to draw the hummers into your garden remember to expand the flowering plants beyond one season.
On December 17, 2024, I saw a hummingbird darting into a yellow zinnia. Hummingbirds need to eat every 10 to 15 minutes due to their high metabolism. They will visit up to 2,000 plants per day.
Hummingbirds have long beaks and grooved tongues which are designed to sip nectar. They will gravitate towards pinks, reds and orange colored flowers. A colorful garden is a haven where they can feast.
So what constitutes hummingbird food? The following are some examples of flowers to include in your garden to attract and feed hummingbirds.
Bee Balm
Bee balm, Monarda didyma, with its full spikes and spherical shape, has displays of red, purple or orange flowers. It is so prolific that it will require dividing these 2-4 foot spikes every couple of years. You will need to keep the soil medium moist, but I just water every other day. It grows in zones 4-9.
Lantana
I like to use lantana, Lantana camara, because it is heat tolerant even in the Victoria area. It comes in colors ranging from red or orange, to white or pink. Lantana need to be planted in well-draining soil and in full sun. The vining aspect of this plant allows for ground cover or hanging plants to be in the same area. It grows in zones 8-10
Zinnias
For variety of height I like Zinnias. They come in a diversity of sizes from six inch to over four feet. An interesting fact about the zinnia is once the hummingbird has consumed the nectar, seeds develop making them great for other birds like finches to feed upon.
Zinnias do well in full sun, but watch out for our fierce August sun that can dry up the hardiest of the zinnias. In my garden I deadhead these dried up flowers and when it turns a bit cooler they will bloom again. The zones that can nurture these seeds or flowers are zones 2- 11.
Cardinal Flower
The cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis thrives in zones 8-9 growing stalks of red, white or rose flowers. They like full sun to partial shade with the soil medium to moist soil.
Cuphea
Cuphea, Cuphea spp, comes in eye catching colors of red, purple and yellow blooms. This favorite of the hummingbird loves sun and to be watered frequently. It blooms in zones 8 — 11, spring through fall.
Fuchsia
I encountered this lovely flower at my daughter’s father in law’s hanging baskets in England. Bob had baskets of this beauty with its multicolored red, purple and pink long draping flowers.
Fuchsia tend to like moist soil in shady to part sunny area in our Texas spring. You will need a routine of a slow release fertilizer each month to keep then blooming.
The trick to creating a hummingbird sanctuary is to have lots of colorful blooms with long tubular flowers for most of the year. Then you will also have an assortment of plants for beneficial insects and birds to enjoy.
In addition, you might want have several hummingbird feeders filled with a sugary liquid. These feeders need regular cleaning and do a great job attracting and feeding hummingbirds.
Gardeners’ Dirt is published in The Victoria Advocate each Saturday.