What You Need to Know about Growing Onions

Need help with how to grow onions in your garden? Understanding how onions grow and what conditions help them thrive will give you the best shot at growing large, healthy, and flavorful onions.

gardeninginfo-online.com gathered essential information and tips on growing big, healthy, and flavor-packed onions.

Growing Onions

Onions are a surprisingly easy vegetable crop to grow. They are typically planted early in the spring and can be harvested from midsummer through the fall. Whether you plant your onions from seed or sets, there are some valuable tricks that make a startling difference between an excellent onion crop and a disappointing one. Below is what you need to know about growing onions so that they are healthy and delicious:

1. How Long do Onions Take to Grow?

An onion’s growth typically requires 100 to 175 days before reaching maturity. In other words, onions take about 3 to 4 months from planting to harvest. If you want spring onions (green onions), harvest them 3 to 4 weeks after you’ve planted your sets.

2. What Month Should Onions be Planted?

In spring, plant onion sets outdoors as soon as the ground can be worked, usually in late March or April (when temperatures are no longer likely to go below 28°F). In spring, start onion seeds indoors about 6 weeks before transplanting them to the ground (once the soil reaches at least 50°F).

3. What is The Best Soil for Onions?

Onions grow best in well-drained soil with a 6.0 to 7.0 pH and high in organic matter. Apply phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) according to soil test recommendations.

Note: Basic soil tests identify its organic matter quantity, its pH, and macronutrient (nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and, potassium (K)) levels. These standard tests only provide information on soil characteristics.

Tip: Contact your local Cooperative Extension office. Most state universities provide top-quality, affordable soil testing services through their Cooperative Extension Service.

4. How Much Sun do Onions Need?

To grow large onion bulbs, they need to get enough daylight hours. Onions need full sun and at least 13 to 16 hours of light daily during bulb formation.

5. How Much Water do Onions Need?

Onions need about 1 inch of weekly water. Stick your finger in the soil near the plants – if you can’t feel moisture up to one inch, it’s time to water. In a typical 12-week growing season, irrigate with one inch of water once or twice a week, depending on the amount of rainfall.

6. How Many Onions Will One Plant Produce?

One bulb will produce one onion. Sets can be planted 2 inches apart if harvested as scallions or ‘green onions’ or 4 to 6 inches apart if allowed to mature into a full-sized cooking onion.

Note: By cutting off the bottom of an onion bulb and planting it in soil, you can grow an onion from cuttings. With time, patience, and water, you can grow an onion from an onion bottom in 90 to 120 days.

7. How do I Get My Onions to Grow Bigger?

Growing larger onions depends on a few factors, including:

• Choosing the Right Variety (Onion varieties are typically divided into long-day, short-day, and intermediate-day).
• Planting them on Time (Planting onions late will result in underdeveloped, smaller bulbs).
• Control Weeds
• Water and Fertilize

Note: Like other plant and vegetable species, your onions will grow better if given optimal conditions to thrive.

8. Which Onion Variety is Right for My Garden?

Long-day onions need about 14 to 15 hours of daylight to bulb (far northern regions). Short-day onions need 10 hours of daylight (far southern regions). Intermediate-day onion varieties are the most adaptable, requiring 12-14 hours of sunlight before starting to bulb.

9. Should Onions be Fertilized?

Yes. Onions are heavy feeders with shallow root systems, so adequate soil fertilization is essential for a high-yield onion crop. A nitrogen-based fertilizer (ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate) can be applied (one cup per twenty feet of row).

Note: The first fertilizer application should be about three weeks after planting, then continue with applications every 2 to 3 weeks.

10. Should You Soak Onions Before Planting?

You can undoubtedly plant onions without soaking them, but soaked onions will sprout more quickly. You can also soak onion seeds before planting to encourage their germination.

Note: Soaking onions in compost tea will give them added nutrition and increased protection from disease.

11. Will Onions Reseed Themselves?

Yes. Onions and scallions are self-seeding vegetables. These biennials overwinter and, in the spring, flower and produce seeds. You can collect these seeds or allow the plants to re-sow where they are.

Growing Onions in Your Garden

In this article, you discovered essential information on growing onions in your garden and answers to frequently asked questions.

Knowing what conditions onions require to flourish in your garden will help you grow larger and more flavor-packed onions in your home’s garden.

Ignoring basic onion growing requirements will leave your garden struggling to produce a healthy onion harvest.

Sources:
ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-1616
extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-onions
extension.unh.edu/blog/2020/10/how-do-i-get-my-onions-grow-bigger
growingwithnature.org/perennial-onions/

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How To Keep Weeds Out of My Garden

Avoid spending all of your gardening time pulling weeds. Knowing how to keep weeds from growing in your garden will help you devote your time to growing your beautiful flowers, vegetables, and fruits.

gardeninginfo-online.com gathered information on why weeds grow and the measures you can take to eliminate them in your garden and prevent new ones from taking root.

Why Do Weeds Grow?

Weeds will grow when there is space for them to do so. A thickly planted garden reduces available space for any weeds to grow in. Any bare or thin garden space at the end of the growing season should be tilled and seeded with a cover crop to protect it in early fall (September).

Note: Weeds can be significant agents of soil conservation. Weed roots can quickly stabilize erodible soil and create air and water channels in the soil. Some more robust weed roots penetrate so deeply that they reach nutrients otherwise unavailable to garden plants.

Pulling Weeds

The first order of business for any garden type is to pull any pesky weeds already growing. It is crucial to get them out of your garden before they go to seed. Here’s how to do it:

• Start by breaking up the soil where the stem meets the top of the garden bed
• Grip the bottom of the weed and pull firmly straight up to remove it by the roots

Note: Pulling weeds before planting provides your plants the room to lay and grow a strong and healthy root system. Weeding before mulching allows for better soil quality that will aid in keeping your garden healthy. Mulching also helps prevent weeds from emerging.

Tip: Use a three-tine cultivator to loosen the soil and free the weed’s roots. If you can’t get the roots, taking off the head will be your best option to prevent the weed from seeding.

How Does Mulch Prevent Weeds?

Mulching your garden prevents weeds in different ways. New weed seeds need dirt to grow, and a thick layer of mulch helps keep the seeds from reaching the soil. As for the seeds or roots already in the soil, mulch blocks sunlight (one of a weed’s essential necessities). Other benefits include:

• Mulch instantly adds rich color and a manicured appearance to your landscape’s garden beds, along the foundation of your home, and around trees and shrubs (increasing curb appeal)
• Improves your garden soil
• Protects against severe or unexpected temperature changes
• Conserves and protects the soil’s moisture

Tip: Mulch reduces the amount of evaporating water from your soil, significantly reducing your need to water your garden plants.

Chemical Weed Control

Most herbicides present significant health risks to humans, pets, and wildlife when such chemical substances are inhaled or ingested. It is highly recommended to exhaust all other weed control methods before investing in chemical treatments. Other methods include:

Tip: Vinegar kills weeds permanently and is a good alternative to synthetic chemicals. Distilled, white, and malt vinegar are all efficient in stopping weed growth.

Preventive Weed Control

Preventive weed control refers to any control method aiming to keep weeds from establishing in a cultivated crop, a garden bed, or a greenhouse. Some examples of preventative weed control would be:

• Using certified weed-free seed
• Only transporting soil, wood chips, hay, or mulch that is weed free
• Making sure gardening equipment is cleaned before moving from one location to another
• Filtering irrigation water (prevents weed seeds from traveling in the water)

Mechanical Weed Control

Mechanical weed control refers to any technique involving the use of garden equipment to control weeds. The most frequently used is tillage.

Naturally Occurring Weeds

Weeds are considered opportunistic plants and will grow when soil, water, temperature, and sunlight conditions are favorable. Weeds can grow in the smallest cracks in roads, sidewalks, or driveways. Weed seeds can lie dormant in the soil for years, waiting for optimal conditions, and can grow anywhere there’s room.

Garden Weed Removal

In this article, you discovered essential information about why weeds grow in your garden, what you can do to remove or kill them, and how to keep new ones from growing.

Knowing how to get weeds out of your garden and preventing their growth will help you grow stronger plants with more beautiful flowers and cultivate healthier fruits and vegetables through the growing season.

Ignoring the need to eliminate weeds in your garden can leave you in the embarrassing predicament of having a garden full of weeds and not the plants you wanted.

Sources:
forages.oregonstate.edu/nfgc/eo/onlineforagecurriculum/instructormaterials/availabletopics/weeds/control
hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/controlling-weeds-by-cultivating-mulching/
extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1144&title=Weed%20Control%20Options%20for%20the%20Home%20Vegetable%20Gardener
extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2020-04-02-starting-garden-weed-management

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Essential Garden Worms

Prevent your garden from declining or dying from poor soil structure and a lack of biodiversity. Knowing how garden worms are essential to your soil and garden livelihood will help you take better care of what is above ground and below it.

gardeninginfo-online.com gathered the following information on garden worm’s importance, selection, and care.

Good Garden Worms

No doubt about it, earthworms, nightcrawlers, and red wrigglers are the best garden worms. These soil specialists burrow their way through your garden’s soil, aerating it, fertilizing it, and increasing water penetration.

Earthworm information (Lumbricus terrestris) – Earthworm bodies are comprised of ringlike segments or annuli. These segments are covered in tiny bristles (setae) used to move and burrow. These worms typically dwell in rather shallow soil and moist leaf litter. Their bodies are characterized as being “a tube within a tube,” with an outer muscular body wall surrounding a digestive tract. As they burrow, they consume or process soil, extracting essential nutrients from decomposing organic matter like leaves and roots.

Earthworms are vital to soil health and to the plants growing in it because they transport nutrients and minerals from below to the surface through their waste deposits. A healthy earthworm will consume up to a third of its body weight in a day.

Nightcrawler information (Lumbricus terrestris) – Nightcrawlers are larger earthworms that burrow deeper into the soil. Nightcrawlers get their name from their nighttime feeding habits. As they burrow into the ground, they feed off of organic matter, like fallen, decaying leaves and dead grass, making them herbivores. At night, these worms will grab their food from the surface and burrow underground with it when feeding.

Note: Nightcrawlers are the most coveted worms for fishing.

Red Wriggler information (Eisenia fetida) – This is a species of earthworm adapted to decaying organic material. These worms are the most preferred type of worms for composting. Red wrigglers live two to five years, making them a prime selection when compared to other earthworm species.

Red worms, unlike nightcrawlers, are typically red. If these worms stretch their bodies, you can see the stripes on their skin that also make them known as tiger worms.

Where Do I Get Earthworms?

You can purchase earthworms from nurseries, garden supply stores, and bait shops. Consider the following when buying garden worms:

• Ask to see a handful of worms
• There should be worms of all sizes (they’re reproducing and growing)
• The worms should be moving around vigorously
• The soil should not stink from decomposing material
• You should not see any dead or white worms

Note: Once home, you can spread them around in your garden or compost pile without worrying. They will naturally know where to go and what to do.

Soil for Worms

There is some debate over which soil type is best for your garden and its worms. As for the worms, they require moisture to live since their bodies are 80% water, but since they also breathe through their skin, too much water can drown them. Your worms prefer well-drained loamy soil.

Soil and pH – As for your garden, most plant, fruit, and vegetable species will thrive in moist, well-drained loamy soil. The only potential challenge between your garden and its worms is to adjusting and maintaining a pH value between 6.0 and 7.0.

Worm Food – While your worms will get the vast majority of what they require from the soil, here are some items for them to feast on:

• Vegetable scraps
• Fruit and vegetable peelings
• Tea leaves or used bags
• Coffee grounds
• Vacuum cleaner dust
• Torn-up newspapers, egg cartons, or corrugated cardboard
• Crushed egg shells (helps control the pH balance)

Not Worm Food – When enriching your soil, the following items should be kept from entering your compost pile or your garden soil. They can alter the soil’s composition and pH to unhealthy or lethal conditions for your worms.

• Cat and dog feces
• Diseased or insect-infested plants and trimmings
• Lemon, lime, orange, or other citrus peels
• Onions and garlic
• Meat, fats, grease, or bones
• Butter, lard, stocks, etc.
• Plastics and plastic-coated paper
• Bread or yeast products

Tip: The only smell your garden soil or compost pile should have is a slightly sweet and pleasant earthiness that should only be noticeable when working in the garden or when the compost bin is open. Something is wrong if you notice a putrid or rotten smell or your worms attempting to crawl away from the garden or out of the bin.

Essential Worms for The Garden

In this article, you discovered essential information on the importance of worms, how to select healthy worms, and how to care for them.

Integrating healthy worms into your garden or compost pile will create better, more aerated, and nutrient-sustaining soil while increasing its biodiversity.

Ignoring the need for worms in your garden soil could leave it nutrient-poor, compacted, and incapable of sustaining any plant, fruit, or vegetable species.

Sources:
nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/Earthworms.pdf
epa.gov/recycle/composting-home
extension.unh.edu/blog/2020/12/should-i-put-earthworms-my-garden
kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/earthworm

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Top 7 Outdoor Hanging Garden Plants

Avoid a dull and lifeless patio or outdoor living space. Knowing which outside hanging plants to use around your patio will help you create a warm, beautiful hanging garden with incredible flowers and an abundance of birds and pollinators to watch and enjoy.

gardeninginfo-online.com gathered species, flowering, planting, and growing information on 7 of the best outdoor hanging garden plants.

1. Begonia (Begonia)

Begonias are attractive perennial herbs with soft, succulent stems and white, pink, red, orange, or yellow flowers.

Flower – Begonias can be found blooming from early summer until the first frost. Some varieties will bloom all year.
Soil Requirements – This species grows best in light, fertile, well-drained soil
Sun Preference – Begonias flourish in part shade (4 to 6 hours of morning sunlight)
Water Needs – Water every two to four days and more frequently when grown in full sun
Hardiness Zone – 2 through 10 (when grown in colder zones 2 through 8, they should be overwintered indoors)

2. Petunia (Petunia)

Petunias are annual flowers that have captivated gardeners with their funnel-shaped flowers with crisped, curled, waved, and doubled variations. The flower’s colors appear from pink to red, lavender, purple, peach, white, cream, and yellow.

Flower – Some petunia varieties grow with a pendulous, cascading habit that makes them more suitable for hanging gardens and window boxes.
Soil Requirements – This species grows best in light, fertile, well-drained soil
Sun Preference – Petunias perform best when located in full sun all day.
Water Needs – A thorough watering once a week is sufficient for this plant species
Hardiness Zone – 2 through 11 (when grown in colder zones 2 through 8, they should be overwintered indoors)

3. Geranium (Pelargonium)

These plants thrive in bright, sunny climates and tolerate moderate to regular watering when planted in well-draining soil. Geraniums are relatively low-maintenance plants and excellent choices for container or hanging gardens.

Flower – Geraniums are abundant bloomers whose bright flowers will blossom from spring until fall.
Soil Requirements – The ideal soil for geraniums is loose with plenty of organic matter
Sun Preference – Most geraniums need a location in full sun (6 to 8 hours)
Water Needs – Check soil weekly and water when the top inch is dry
Hardiness Zone – 3 through 9

4. Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa)

Strawberries are low-growing herbaceous flowering and fruiting plants with a fibrous root system and a crown from which arise basal leaves. The leaves are compound with three leaflets, sawtooth-edged, and usually hairy.

Flower – Strawberry plants usually begin flowering in late spring, and it takes about four weeks from flowering to ripened fruit.
Soil Requirements – Strawberries grow best in a deep, sandy loam soil rich in organic matter
Sun Preference – Ten or more hours of daily sunlight is ideal, but this species needs six hours minimum of direct daily sunlight
Water Needs – Strawberries require water equivalent to 1 to 1.5 inches of rain per week
Hardiness Zone – Strawberries can be grown as perennials in zones 5 through 8 or as cool-season annuals in zones 9 through 10

5. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

The spider plant is among the easiest plants to grow. When grown indoors, it is highly effective in removing harmful chemicals from the air, like carbon monoxide, xylene, formaldehyde, and toluene.

Flower – Spider plants occasionally develop small white flowers at the ends of long arching stems. Often times these flowers are short-lived and inconspicuous.
Soil Requirements – The ideal spider plant soil is loamy, moist, and well-drained
Sun Preference – Spider plants are a low-light species and grow best with 3 to 4 hours of indirect daily sunlight
Water Needs – Water spider plants about once a week
Hardiness Zone – 9 through 11

6. Lobelia (Lobelia erinus)

This showy perennial is typically unbranched but may exhibit slight branching. The erect, 2 to 3-foot stems produce lavender-blue, tubular flowers crowded together on the stem’s upper end. Showy, bright blue, purple, rose, or white flowers are in the axils of leafy bracts and form an elongated cluster.

Flower – Lobelia blooms prolifically for months, with a trailing, spreading, or bushy habit ideal for containers and hanging gardens.
Soil Requirements – This species thrives in a good, fertile, reliably moist soil
Sun Preference – Lobelia performs best in full sun to partial shade (4 to 6 hours of daily sunlight)
Water Needs – Once established, this plant is drought-tolerant and requires watering twice a week during dry periods
Hardiness Zone – 2 through 10

7. Verbena (Verbena)

Verbena (also known as vervain or verveine) is an herbaceous flowering plant. It may be either annual or perennial, depending on the species you choose to grow.

Flower – This species blooms all season long. Verbena looks just as beautiful weaving through garden beds as it does spilling from pots, window boxes, and hanging baskets.
Soil Requirements – Verbena thrives in soil amended with compost but can adapt to many soil types as long as there is good drainage
Sun Preference – Verbenas require a location that receives full sun throughout the day
Water Needs – This species thrives with approximately one inch of water once per week
Hardiness Zone – 7 through 11

Hanging Garden Plants

In this article, you discovered essential species, planting, growing, and flowering information for 7 easy-to-grow outdoor hanging garden plants.

Knowing which outdoor hanging garden plants to grow around your outdoor living area will help you create a beautiful, cozy, and inviting space that benefits pollinators, birds, your guests, and your loved ones.

Not knowing the best hanging garden plants will leave your outdoor spaces barren and less colorful than possible.

Sources:
hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/begonia/
extension.umn.edu/flowers/growing-petunias
gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/geraniums.html
extension.umd.edu/resource/growing-strawberries-home-garden
hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/spider-plant-chlorophytum-comosum/
gardening.cornell.edu/homegardening/scene3417.html
aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/96promotions/verbena.html

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5 Tall Flowering Plants

Tired of short flowers that are hidden by other plants, or out of sight where no one can appreciate them. Knowing which flowering plants grow tall will help you create a stunning garden with highly visible blooms.

gardeninginfo-online.com gathered essential species, planting, and growing information on five incredible and tall flowering plants.

1. Sunflower (Helianthus)

Annual sunflowers have a large, robust flower head, typically with a large, nearly black central part made up of thousands of tiny florets that later become seeds set in a spiral pattern. The petals typically appear bright yellow, while some varieties can be orange or red shades.

Soil – Sunflowers thrive in more alkaline soil (6.0 to 7.5 pH) and prefer nutrient-rich, well-drained soil. Ensure your soil is weed-free before planting this species.
Sun – Sunflowers require full sun (6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily).
Mature Height – Typical sunflowers grow from 6 to 10 feet tall, with some species reaching 15 to 20 feet.
Blooms – Annual sunflowers will bloom through summer and into autumn (until the first frost).
Hardiness Zone – 4 through 9

2. Lavender (Lavandula)

Perennial lavender plants are typically small, branching, and wide-spreading shrubs with grey-green leaves and long, vibrant flowering shoots. Leaves can be simple or pinnate, measuring 1 to 2 inches. Flowers bloom on shoots that can reach 8 to 16 inches. The flowers can bloom in white, pink, blue, violet, and purple shades.

Soil – Lavender plants thrive in alkaline soil (6.7 to 7.3 pH) and prefer nutrient-rich, well-drained soil. Lavender does not tolerate any excessive soil moisture or humidity.
Sun – Lavender plants require full sun (6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily) but can benefit from afternoon shade in hotter climates.
Mature Height – This species typically grows 20 to 24 inches tall, including its flower stalks.
Blooms – Flowering can occur in May (in regions with mild summers and winters). Another flush of blooms can appear in June, followed by a final bloom in late summer or early fall.
Hardiness Zone – 5 through 9

3. Dahlia (Dahlia)

Dahlias are tuberous perennials, and most have simple leaves that are segmented and toothed or cut. Dahlias are popularly used in wedding arrangements and bouquets. Some of the most popular flower colors include red, orange, yellow, purple, white, and green. Astoundingly, blue is the only color dahlias do not appear in.

Soil – Dahlias will thrive in well-drained, loosened “dirt” soil with a 6.5 to 7.0 pH.
Sun – This species does best in full sun (6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily).
Mature Height – Typical dahlias grow from 4 to 5 feet tall. 
Blooms – Dahlia flowers can appear in an impressive variety of colors and range in size from “petite” 2-inch blooms to giant 15-inch flowers.
Hardiness Zone – 8 through 10

4. Coneflower (Echinacea)

Echinacea purpurea, more commonly called “purple coneflower,” is a coarse, hairy, herbaceous perennial native to moist prairies, meadows, and open woods of the central to the southeastern United States.

Soil – The coneflower species thrives in nutrient-rich, well-drained soil with a 6.5 to 7.0 pH.
Sun – This species requires full sun (6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily) but will benefit from afternoon shade in hotter climates.
Mature Height – Typical coneflowers grow from 2 to 4 feet tall.
Blooms – Coneflower blooms from June through August and can appear in pink, red, orange, white, and yellow colors. Most varieties have large single-petaled blooms.
Hardiness Zone – 3 through 9

5. Hibiscus (Hibiscus)

Perennial hibiscus leaves are ovate, simple, and 8 to 10.5 cm long. They are spirally arranged around a long stalk. The flowers are bisexual, large, and showy, grow up to 25 cm wide, stalked, and rise singly from the upper leaf axils. The five free petals joined at the base may be white, yellow, or red color.

Soil – Hibiscus grows best in well-drained soil, amended with organic matter. Hibiscus prefers acidic soil with a 6.5 to 6.8 pH.
Sun – Hibiscus does best in full sun (6 to 8 hours). They will grow in partial shade, but maximum growth and flowering will suffer.
Mature Height – Typical hibiscus will grow from 3 to 8 feet tall.
Blooms – With its showy, whorled flowers, this plant regularly attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. These tropical plants come in a wide range of striking colors, including: red, yellow, pink, orange, peach, coral, and white.
Hardiness Zone – 5 through 9

What is the Tallest Perennial?

For your garden, the tallest perennial flowering plant is hibiscus. Plants typically grow from three to eight feet tall, especially if grown in rich, well-drained soil with ample moisture.

Note: The swamp gum, or Australian mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans), is native to southeastern Australia. The tree can reach heights over 375 feet and is the tallest angiosperm (flowering plant) species.

What is the Longest Flowering Perennial?

Coneflower is a perennial herb that blooms all summer long and is native to North America’s midwestern and southeastern regions. It has significantly tall stems, bears single pink or purple blooms, and has a central purple, orange, or brown cone. The large cone is a seed head with sharp spines.

Tall Flowering Garden Plants

In this article, you discovered 5 tall flowering plant species’ planting, growing, and flowering information to help you grow a striking garden full of thriving color.

By knowing which tall flowering plants to grow in your garden, you can create an eclectic scenery that benefits your senses, pollinators, and environment.

Not knowing which plants grow taller can leave your garden lacking aesthetic diversity and make it appear pretty montonous.

Sources:
extension.umn.edu/flowers/sunflowers
gardening.cornell.edu/homegardening/scene9108.html
plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/dahlia/
hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/coneflower-purple-echinacea-purpurea
hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/hibiscus/

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Poisonous Garden Plants to Avoid

Avoid growing a toxic garden that’s surrounding your landscape, wildlife and loved ones. Knowing which plant species possess toxic traits will help you grow a healthy garden friendly to your surrounding environment.

gardeninginfo-online.com gathered crucial information on identifying what plants are poisonous to humans and wildlife.

1. Deadly Nightshade (Atropa belladonna)

The deadly nightshade is a perennial plant with long, thin branches. Its leaves are oval-shaped with smooth edges and pointed ends. They grow on the plant’s thin branches in an alternate pattern and are poisonous. The most distinctive feature of this plant species is the purple flowers with reflexed petals and a yellow cone at the center, which blooms from late May through August.

Hardiness Zone – 5 through 9
Associated Danger – All parts of this plant are toxic, but the sweet, purplish-black berries that are attractive to children pose the most significant danger. Symptoms of poisoning include rapid heartbeat, dilated pupils, delirium, vomiting, hallucinations, and potential death from acute respiratory failure.

2. Oleander (Nerium oleander)

Often called rosebay, this Mediterranean native is characterized by its tall shrubby habit and its thick lance-shaped opposite leaves. The flowers are borne in terminal clusters and may appear in a rose color, rarely white or yellow.

Hardiness Zone – 8 through 10
Associated Danger – All parts of Nerium oleander (leaves, flowers, stems, twigs, and roots) are toxic. Oleander poisoning can adversely affect the heart, nervous system, stomach and intestines, eyes, and skin.

Note: Cut stems release a sticky latex that can severely irritate the skin. Wear gloves when you handle clippings or remove the plant altogether.

3. Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)

This is a plant with leaves containing high levels of the addictive chemical nicotine. After harvesting, tobacco leaves are cured, aged, and processed in multiple ways. The resulting products can be smoked (in cigarettes, cigars, and pipes), applied to the gums (as dipping or chewing tobacco), or inhaled (as snuff).

Hardiness Zone – 2 through 10
Associated Danger – Those who plant, cultivate, or harvest tobacco are at high risk of suffering from nicotine poisoning, known as “Green Tobacco Sickness.” This illness causes severe nausea and vomiting that can lead to hospitalization.

4. Rosary Pea (Abrus precatorius)

Also known as coral bean, crab’s eye, jequirity bean, and prayer bead, Rosary Pea is an ornamental, twining, woody vine reaching heights of 10 to 20 feet when supported by other plants or trees. This plant’s leaves are alternate, compound, and feather-like, with small oblong leaflets. Its flowers are numerous and appear in the leaf axils along the stems.

Hardiness Zone – 9 through 11
Associated Danger – Abrus precatorius is highly toxic and can be fatal if ingested. In its native range, the plant’s roots are used to induce abortion and relieve abdominal discomfort. One of the most deadly plant toxins, abrin, is produced by this species.

5. Castor Bean (Ricinus communis)

Castor bean is a fast-growing perennial large shrub or small tree. This is an evergreen herbaceous or semi-woody species. This robust, tender plant can grow to 40 feet tall, developing woody stems over time in frost-free climates.

Hardiness Zone – 9 through 11
Associated Danger – Ricin is a poison found naturally in castor beans. If castor beans are chewed and swallowed, the released ricin can cause injury. Potentially lethal doses reported for children and adults are three beans and four to eight beans, respectively.

6. Water Hemlock (Cicuta maculata)

Water hemlock has small, white flowers that grow in umbrella-like clusters. Side veins of the leaves lead to notches, not to tips at the outer margin. Poison-hemlock stems have reddish or purple spots and highly-visible streaks.

Hardiness Zone – This species is common throughout the north temperate zone.
Associated Danger – Water hemlock is the most violently toxic plant in North America. Only a small amount of the plant’s toxic substance is required to produce poisoning in wildlife, livestock, or humans. The toxin cicutoxin, acting directly on the central nervous system, is a violent convulsant.

7. White Snakeroot (Ageratina altissima)

Growing 1 to 3 feet in height, white snakeroot is an upright, many-branched perennial with smooth (sometimes hairy) stems and fibrous roots.

Hardiness Zone – 3 through 8
Associated Danger – The leaves and stems of white snakeroot contain tremetol, which is toxic to both animals and humans. Tremetol is an accumulative toxin that takes time to build to toxic levels. The toxin directly affects the heart and causes severe muscular degeneration, loss of coordination, tremors, and an irregular heart rate.

Avoid These Poisonous Garden Plants

In this article, you discovered which plant species are poisonous and sold never be planted in your garden.

Avoiding poisonous plants in your garden will help you support surrounding wildlife while protecting your loved ones from potential poisoning.

Allowing poisonous plant species to flourish in your garden puts wildlife, your pets, and your loved ones at risk of severe illness, hospitalization, or worse.

Sources:
csuvth.colostate.edu/poisonous_plants/Plants/Details/60
plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/atropa-bella-donna/
florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/plant.aspx?id=1758
plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/abrus-precatorius/
hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/castor-bean-ricinus-communis/
extension.umass.edu/landscape/weeds/cicuta-maculata
uaex.uada.edu/yard-garden/resource-library/plant-week/Eupatorium-rugosum-Ageratina-altissima-Chocolate-White-Snakeroot-11-15-2019.aspx

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How To Attract Birds to Your Garden

Prevent growing a plain and boring garden without any bird attractions. Knowing what birds are attracted to will help you get the right plants and features in your garden to keep them coming around through the seasons.

gardeninginfo-online.com gathered information on what plants, features, and food you can add to your garden to attract multiple bird species.

Birdbaths and Water Features

Water is essential for bird survival, and while a simple birdbath can provide ample space for drinking and preening, more elaborate designs like birdbath fountains have many benefits and can attract more birds to any yard and garden.

Since birds find moving water practically irresistible, fountains are a great addition for you. Any type of fountain or water pump will work well. However, solar-operated fountains are the perfect choice because they eliminate the need for extension cords, electrical outlets, and can be easily moved anywhere the sun shines.

Note: Since running or falling water naturally humidifies the air, birds will want to sit close to it. When installing your water feature, create areas for your feathered visitors to land or perch, hydrate, and rest.

Tip: The most attractive birdbaths and water features will mimic nature’s natural birdbaths and water flows like puddles and shallow pools in slow streams.

Bird Feeders

Besides water, birds will also frequent locations where they know food is readily available. Here are a few ways to attract birds with food:

Hopper Feeders – A hopper bird feeder is a type of feeder that holds birdseed in a “hopper” and dispenses it into a tray at the bottom of the hopper. As birds consume the seed, the hopper replenishes the bottom tray, aided simply by gravity.

Hopper feeders are attractive to most birds, including:

• finches
• Jays
• Cardinals
• Buntings
• Grosbeaks
• Sparrows
• Chickadees

Note: This type of feeder is also a squirrel magnet.

Peanut Feeder – Peanut feeders are typically shaped like a tire or tube, which can be loaded with peanuts (with or without the shell). These feeders can also be found in round wreath shapes. These types of bird feeders have openings that make birds (and sometimes squirrels) work to get the peanuts out. Blue jays, nuthatches, and woodpeckers particularly love peanut feeders.

Sugar Water Feeder – Sugar water feeders are extremely popular and are typically found in a few standard shapes, including glass bottle, tube, flower, and round dish. Regardless of the shape you select, this type of bird feeder is an irresistible magnet for those incredible hovering hummingbirds.

Log Feeder – Log feeders are amazing if you are looking for an inexpensive DIY project. Take a small log and drill a few medium-sized holes in the side. These holes are for stuffing suet or peanut butter for the birds to eat. Such logs provide a natural perch and are great for woodpeckers, blue jays, and nuthatches.

Nyjer Feeder – These feeders are commonly found as mesh or sock feeders. Due to the nature of these feeders, look for one with a seed catching tray at its bottom. This feature helps prevent the extra mess and wasted seeds from falling to the ground. The seed tray will catch any uneaten fallen seed and provide the birds with an additional opportunity to feed. These feeders are known to attract finches, sparrows, and chickadees.

Note: Nyjer is a small, thin, black seed from the African yellow daisy (Guizotia abyssinica). While commonly referred to as thistle seed, it is not related to the thistle plant.

Flowering Plants

Another way to attract birds to your garden is to grow the flowering plants they love. The following are a few of the most popular flowering plant species that attract birds.

Sunflower (Helianthus spp.) – Plant this easy-to-grow annual in full sun near windows and watch migrating songbirds devour their seeds.

Daisy (Bellis perennis) – These garden favorites form an abundance of nutritious seeds vital for finches, sparrows, cardinals, and towhees winter survival.

Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) – This vine produces a fruit that is a vital food source for winter birds, like mockingbirds, woodpeckers, and blue jays.

Shrubs with Berries for Birds

Planting shrubs in your garden and around your landscape can offer vital refuge for multiple bird species. Planting berry-producing shrubs gives birds the added benefit of a nutritious meal while taking refuge in its branches. Consider the following species:

Elderberries (Sambucus) – Elderberries are a group of plants that are ideal for birds.  They flower in late spring and are covered with large clusters of berries throughout the summer.

Holly (Ilex) – Hollies are a group of plants that specialize in attracting birds.  The added bonus is that with the festive and abundant red berries, this species announces the coming of winter and the holiday season.

Lilac (Syringa) – Lilacs are crucial for their blooms because they provide an abundance of nectar early in the season when food supplies are scarce for hummingbirds. Hummingbirds love the nectar just as much as humans love lilac’s intoxicating fragrance.

Attracting Birds to Your Garden

In this article, you discovered information about which garden features, plants, shrubs, and feeders are best at attracting birds.

By attracting birds to your garden with water features, plants, and shrubs, you are providing them with water, nutrients, and shelter.

Ignoring the need to attract birds to your garden will leave you with a plain and monotonous landscape.

Sources:
ny.audubon.org/conservation/choosing-bird-feeder
bellarmine.edu/faculty/drobinson/holly2.asp
mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/tree-plant-care/plant-care-resources/plants-and-shrubs-that-attract-birds/
nationalgeographic.com/books/article/top-10-plants-to-attract-songbirds

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