home.social

#habitatgardening โ€” Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #habitatgardening, aggregated by home.social.

fetched live
  1. In a habitat garden, one important objective is to provide resources for the entire growing season. But flowers often fizzle out by end of summer.

    ๐ŸŒผ It took me some years to create a significantly sized and sustainable growth of fall flowers. First, I let the local Goldenrod have its way in many beds, seeding out naturally. They get over 2 meters tall and fill in a space with their sprays.

    ๐ŸŒปSecond, I grew from seeds various Helianthus species (commonly known as "woodland sunflowers" or similar) that are native perennials here in the southeast U.S. They were listed as highly supportive of native bees, butterflies and wildlife. It's true. More on that soon.

    ๐Ÿ˜Ž This tactic brought a profusion of yellow starting in September and will continue until frost. I supplement with bright orange color from some Mexican Sunflowers. Def need sunglasses out here now.

    #HabitatGardening #Gardening #NativePlants #Rewilding

  2. ๐Ÿž Pollinator Garden Tour in Pittsboro

    ๐Ÿ“… September 21, 2026. Pittsboro: Participants can explore the Pollinator Paradise Garden and learn how native plants support insects, birds, and ecosystem health.

    ๐Ÿฆ‹ Seeing successful habitat projects in person can inspire similar projects at homes, schools, and community spaces.

    ๐Ÿ”— chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/

    @NCConnect

    #SolarpunkSunday #Pollinators #NativePlants #Biodiversity #Conservation #HabitatGardening

  3. RE: ecoevo.social/@xris/1172656019

    Proud to share that I'm speaking at the Rutgers Department of Entomology Weekly Seminar this Friday, 9/18. The event is hybrid, and will be available via Zoom. The link is available from their web page:

    entomology.rutgers.edu/seminar

    flic.kr/p/2sAVAy7

    #NativePlants #Insects #Bees #Entomology #Ecology #Gardening #CommunityScience #GardenEcology #HabitatGardening #iNaturalist

  4. ๐Ÿ“ฐ Americaโ€™s Biggest Irrigated Crop Is Lawn Grass ๐Ÿ˜ฌ

    ๐ŸŒŽ U.S.: With **40+ million acres** of turf blanketing the country, experts warn that our yards have become ecological dead zones, in the midst of rapid insect and bird population declines.

    ๐Ÿฆ‹ Native plants otoh feed caterpillars, support specialist insects, and rebuild the energy pathways that lawns erase.

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Dedicate just a corner of your yard to natives and restore the wildlife pantry.
    A single oak, a viburnum, or a patch of goldenrod and coneflower can jumpโ€‘start a functioning food web right outside your door.

    ๐Ÿ”— thecooldown.com/green-home/law

    #SolarpunkSunday #NativePlants #Biodiversity #Habitat #FoodWebs #Polinators #HabitatGardening #Gardening

  5. Latest from my Habitat Garden...
    ๐ŸŒป Black-eyed Susans along with wispy "Garden Coreopsis." I wish I could say I planned this combination, but the Coreopsis floats in free with the seed rain, always germinating in perfect spots

    ๐Ÿ๐Ÿฆ‹ So pollinators get more options and the flower bed - in front where the HOA eyes can see it - looks more "planned."

    ๐ŸŒŽ When you work with Nature, Nature works with you.

    #WildflowerWednesday #NativePlants #HabitatGardening #Gardening #Bloomscrolling

  6. ๐Ÿฆ‹ POLLINATOR WEEK ๐Ÿ

    Saw a new native bee species in my garden today. Must have visited for Pollinator Week.

    Only had a backlit view unfortunately, but it looks like a "small carpenter bee" (Genus Ceratina) which nest in pithy stems. I'll make sure I have plenty of pithy stems nearby, so it does not have to haul all that pollen too far.

    Check out that yellow spot on its butt. ๐Ÿ’š

    We want to help in any way we can because pollinators are up against many threats. And we need them. More:

    pollinator.org/threats

    #PollinatorWeek #HabitatGardening #NativeBee #Biodiversity #Bee #Pollinator

  7. ๐Ÿ˜Ž It's nice to have blackberries growing wild in my yard, but blackberry picking can be dangerous. The hundreds of tiny thorns hook on to your skin and can make you a bloody mess.

    ๐ŸงคBut now I have my new protective sleeves making berry picking much easier. Tried them out today. Worked great! Can't wait to put them on my yogurt.

    ๐Ÿ While I was out picking, I saw a thistle, tall as me, with a bright purple flower, being visited by a bumblebee.

    #HabitatGardening #Gardening #NativePlants #BlackberryPicking #Blackberries

  8. TURTLE TUESDAY

    Wow. It has been so hot here that Eastern Box Turtles have been bathing in my shallow upper pond for hours. I have found two doing this.

    This is normal behavior but not often seen. It's a reminder of the importance of making water available for wildlife.

    #TurtleTuesday #EasternBoxTurtle #BoxTurtle #Turtle #Wildlife #HabitatGardening

  9. #WildlifeWednesday

    ๐Ÿ Just posted to Habitat Gardening, this time covering the importance of native shrubs and vines to birds and other forest friends - and how to find them.

    ๐Ÿฆ‹ Native vines in particular 'don't get no respect' in the native plant literature. I found a particularly useful source where you can search specifically for vines.

    ๐Ÿฆโ€โฌ› As usual. there are seasonal habitat improvement ideas and a long list of references and further reading. Photos from my garden are also included.

    Go Native!

    write.as/habitat-gardening/mov

    @NCConnect
    #HabitatGardening #BiodiversityGardening #Gardening #NativePlants #Nature #Environment #Conservation #Biodiversity #Invertebrates #Pollinators #BirdConservation

  10. Attend "All About Native Bees"
    Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at 6 PM ET / 3 PM PT

    ๐ŸCelebrate World Bee Day (May 20) with Garden for Wildlife! Bees are our most important pollinators, but they are often misunderstood. While the agriculturally important honeybee gets the spotlight, our native bees are actually the ecological powerhouses of the ecosystem.

    ๐Ÿ Surprising facts about native bee behavior in your backyard.
    ๐Ÿ How to plant a garden that supports them and get it recognized as a Certified Wildlife Habitatยฎ by the National Wildlife Federation.

    content.gardenforwildlife.com/

    #WorldBeeDay #NativeBees #NationalPollinatorMonth #Pollinators #Biodiversity #HabitatGardening

  11. First sighting of a Monarch this Spring!

    I have several plantings of Butterfly Weed (Asclepius tuberosa) for them to enjoy, but mainly to lay their eggs on. The plants are just now starting to bloom.

    ๐Ÿฆ‹ It is very relaxing to sit on my porch and watch butterflies. Just had plant native perennials years ago.

    ๐Ÿฆ‹ Related: Carrie Haubner, coโ€‘founder of the Queen City Pollinator Project in Kentucky, tagged a Monarch with a lightweight sticker.

    ๐Ÿฆ‹ That Monarch was later found at a Monarch reserve in Mexico. That's a 1600-mile trek! Also feeds into useful conservation dataset.

    ๐Ÿฆ‹ Protecting their habitat and increasing populations of their host plant is important. Get involved if you can!

    @MonarchLady

    #WildflowerWednesday #ButterflyWeed
    #Monarch #MonarchButterfly #HabitatGardening #Gardening #Conservation #InsectConservation

  12. Wildlflower Wednesday

    ๐ŸŒฑ Just posted my latest blog for Habitat Gardening. This time covering planting your natives (finally).

    ๐ŸŒป And, for those who are a little more experienced, the seasonal improvement section helps you get real about your climate and changes you may have to make to your native garden.

    And I get into composting a little, because it is so important!

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Look for the picture of an ugly, rain starved bed of flowers!

    ๐Ÿ““ As usual, the Resources section at the bottom is jammed with related information for new native gardeners.

    Go Native!

    write.as/habitat-gardening/pla

    #HabitatGardening #BiodiversityGardening #Gardening #NativePlants #Nature #Environment #Conservation #Biodiversity #Invertebrates #SolarPunk #WildflowerWednesday

  13. Feeding birds in the UK?

    The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has issued new guidance to avoid spreading disease.

    โœ‹ Simply put, pause feeding any seeds or peanuts between 1 May and 31 October.

    ๐ŸŒป Also consider bird-friendly planting to provide natural food sources, such as sunflowers, teasels, and ivy.

    ๐Ÿšจ The cause of an outbreak of a mysterious and deadly disease in finches in British gardens in 2005 has finally been determined by conservationists.

    More guidance here:
    phys.org/news/2026-04-garden-b

    #SolarPunkSunday [edit]
    #BirdConservation #BirdFeeding #NativePlants #Biodiversity #HabitatGardening #WildlifeConservation

  14. You may remember that I posted recently about how to support bird nesting.

    Yesterday, I had my gardening support wagon out and in it was a wooden box of small tools. A glove lay on top.

    ๐Ÿฆ A pair of Carolina Wrens promptly started using my easily available nesting materials to build a nest under the glove in the box!

    ๐Ÿคฏ It was nearly complete in no time. They used twigs, stems, and leaves that I had broken into small pieces, dried iris leaves, fluffy debris from flowers, etc., and moss from a nearby shady area.

    ๐Ÿ˜ฌ I didn't have the heart to toss this away, so I moved the whole thing over to a bush about a meter away, a much better place. Jammed it between three branches pretty securely.

    ๐Ÿคž I'll check later to see if they accepted the new location.

    #WildlifeWednesday #HabitatGardening #BirdConservation #Gardening

  15. Sorry that I have been away. Gardening season is busy for me. In a few hours, I'll be headed to Raleigh, NC for the Arts in Bloom Festival at the NC Art Museum.

    Will report on all of this as soon as I return. Until then enjoy my blooming Carolina Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens), a native vine that has stayed green even through the very cold days we had. Flowers popped out as one of the first flowers for my #NativeBees and other pollinators.

    #Bloomscrolling #NativePlants #HabitatGardening #Gardening
    @NCConnect

  16. FOR THE BIRDS

    ๐Ÿฆโ€โฌ› Non-native trees are commonly used in urban settings, but a new study out of Sweden finds that native trees provide more resources and are preferred by urban birds.

    phys.org/news/2023-02-urban-bi

    ๐Ÿ› Another study out of the University of Glasgow shows that common woodland birds produce more chicks when surrounded by a greater abundance of native tree foliage.

    phys.org/news/2026-01-woodland

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Support the planting of native trees in all environments.

    #WildlifeWednesday #Biodiversity #WildlifeConservation #NativePlants #UrbanPlanning #Birds #Environment #HabitatGardening #NativeTrees

  17. Be Aware When Spring "Cleaning"

    ๐Ÿž Check your timing when you begin clearing garden areas in the spring. Beneficial insects may still be overwintering in growth and stems.

    ๐Ÿ‚ Pic 1: This area of dead, overgrown iris leaves is a good example of a spot to overwinter, if you are a bug, so it was left until they had time to get active. (See link)

    ๐ŸŒป Pic 2: Waiting was not a problem, though. Time was used to create a design to maximize insect population support. Labels on the cleared area show that the design puts shorter natives at the 'top' of the bed and taller natives near the 'bottom'. Species prefer different heights.

    ๐Ÿฆ‹ This design also addresses the common view of this bed from beyond the 'top'. Now the many butterflies which will appear soon can easily be seen.

    Go Native!

    Details:
    bhg.com/when-to-clean-garden-i

    #SolarPunkSunday #HabitatGardening #NativePlants #GardenDesign #Gardening #Biodiversity

  18. PREPARE FOR HUMMINGBIRDS ๐Ÿฆโ€โฌ›

    1๏ธโƒฃ USians: Update Calendars for Appearances (Next 8 weeks)

    ๐Ÿ”ธ Late February to mid-March: South Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida
    ๐Ÿ”ธ Early April: Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina
    ๐Ÿ”ธ Mid-April: Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Indiana
    ๐Ÿ”ธ Late April: Nebraska, Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, parts of New England

    2๏ธโƒฃ Learn How to Support Them

    ๐Ÿ”ธ Easy-to-make sugar and water solution should be available a couple of weeks before scheduled arrival. It can bring them to your window and help support populations and migration.
    ๐Ÿ”ธ Resource: birdzfly.com/2026-hummingbird-

    #SolarPunkSunday #Hummingbirds #WildlifeConservation #HabitatGardening

  19. ๐Ÿ“ธ Here's a pic from my neighborhood showing a nest on top of a previous nest. Check out all the different materials used for a single build.

    ๐Ÿ”น Twigs
    ๐Ÿ”น Moss or decayed vegetation (hard to tell)
    ๐Ÿ”น Pine needles
    ๐Ÿ”น Leaves from grasses and slender flowers
    ๐Ÿ”น Flower stalks
    ๐Ÿ”น Mud

    ๐Ÿฆ The more you provide, the more you help. Different birds prefer different materials.

    2/ ๐Ÿงต

    #HabitatGardening #BiodiversityGardening #Gardening #NativePlants #Nature #Environment #Conservation #Biodiversity #Bird #SolarPunk #WildlifeConservation

  20. #WildlifeWednesday

    ๐Ÿฆโ€โฌ› Has Spring nearly sprung in your hemisphere? Then it's time to think of your local birds!

    ๐Ÿงน [Edited to remove meanness] Unaware people near you cleared away leaves and debris last Fall, leaving precious little building material for our feathered engineers.

    ๐Ÿ“‰ You can help by taking a little time to make available twigs, last year's dead slender plant leaves, even natural fiber string and yarn. This will help reverse the bird declines we are seeing globally. More nests mean more chicks - and more bird song!

    ๐Ÿ“’ Details are in my Habitat Gardening blog post, "Support Bird Nesting".

    write.as/habitat-gardening/sup

    1/ ๐Ÿงต

    #HabitatGardening #BiodiversityGardening #Gardening #NativePlants #Nature #Environment #Conservation #Biodiversity #Birds #SolarPunk #WildlifeConservation

  21. HELP BUILD BIRD AND BEE POPULATIONS

    ๐ŸŒฑ New post in HABITAT GARDENING for those considering purchasing native plant seeds: Know germination requirements.

    ๐Ÿ Also, store-bought bee houses can be dangerous for bees, unless you manage them correctly.

    ๐Ÿ“’ Finally, several FREE resources that help you help the 30% of native bees in North America that live above ground. You can bee a hero and help for zero dollars.

    write.as/habitat-gardening/kno

    #WildlifeWednesday
    #HabitatGardening
    #BiodiversityGardening #Gardening #NativePlants #Nature #Environment #Conservation #Biodiversity #Invertebrates #SolarPunk

  22. @Kimberley

    Great!
    My resources, though, are North America based. I get frustrated responses from folks in the UK about this.

    For this reason, we should consider organizing a global fedi network of gardeners who provide practical advice and identify *regional* resources.

    One possibility: There could be a single source (blog maybe) updating fedi gardeners of available regional wildlife gardening accounts, regional resources, new relevant posts, and newly identified resources.

    Also, a fedigroup.social can be created to auto-boost wildlife gardening posts from gardeners and media sources.

    Sorry, I'm an idea guy and all this may be getting over our skis, but let's consider having a fedi goal of being leaders in this effort globally. Seems to be the sweet spot of non-commercial, environment-promoting, and lifestyle improvement.

    #Gardening #HabitatGardening #NativePlants

  23. ๐Ÿฆโ€โฌ›Join the GARDEN FOR BIRDS Project to Boost Backyard Habitat

    The Cornell Lab of Ornithology wants to help you see more birds out your window! Its new Garden for Birds program shows you to how to add native plants to your space.

    โœ… practical advice
    โœ…actionable steps
    โœ…support for all skill levels
    โœ…FMI go to site below

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Signup Today

    [Edit: U.S. and Canada only]

    #WildlifeWednesday #SolarPunk #Birds #Biodiversity #HabitatGardening #NativePlants #Environment #Thrutopia #Gardening #Habitat

    gardenforbirds.org/

Share on Mastodon

Enter the server where you have an account.