A C T IV IT IE S
family matters
to reach their full potential or even
outgrow your kids. Leave them
standing, after the flowers fade, to
attract pretty goldfinches. Sunflower
seeds are a favorite snack for these
birds and can keep them well-fed
deep into the winter.
BIRD
MAGNET
FLOWERING
TOBACCO
(NICOTIANA)
TYPE Annual
HEIGHT
12
to
36
inches tall
LIGHT Full sun to partial shade
WHAT KIDS LOVE Hummingbirds
everywhere! Many plants attract
hummingbirds, but one of the most
reliable is flowering tobacco. Of
course, there’s no
Field of Dreams
guarantee of “plant it and they will
come,” but you increase your
chances considerably of seeing
nimble-winged hummingbirds
with
Nicotiana.
WHAT TO GROW Hummingbirds
especially like red flowers, so plant
‘Hummingbird Red’. Or try a more
fragrant variety to truly experience
the delight of this flower—taller
varieties, such as the classic
Nicotiana sylvestris,
tend to be most
perfumed. Step outside in early
evening with your children and
breathe deeply. This is when the
flowers release greater amounts of
their wonderful scent.
as ‘Teddy Bear Dwarf’ and ‘Sunspot’,
which rarely top 2 feet, and tall
sunflowers such as ‘Mammoth Grey
Stripe’, which can reach
15
feet. Or
pick your bloom color. Look
beyond traditional yellow and find
stunning shades of orange (‘Orange
Sun Bright’), red (‘Prado Red’), and
even a delicate creamy white
(‘Italian White’).
FOR FUN Watch them live up to their
names—sunflowers turn their heads
to follow the sun from morning to
night. Chart their rapid growth—see
how long it takes the taller varieties
FOR FUN Set a hummingbird feeder
nearby to increase your chances
of luring these tiny birds to your
garden—
if not this year, then next,
when they spread the word that
there are good eats to be had in your
garden. Although it’s considered an
annual, flowering tobacco readily
reseeds itself for more flowers
next season.
MONARCH FOOD
BUTTERFLY WEED
(
ASCLEPIASTUBEROSA
)
TYPE Perennial
HEIGHT
1.5
to
2.5
feet tall
LIGHT Full sun
WHAT KIDS LOVE In a nod to the
famous Eric Carle book, they’ll relish
the idea of making food for very
hungry caterpillars.
WHAT TO GROW Any plant in the
milkweed
(Asclepias)
family is a host
plant—
in other words, food—for
hungry monarch caterpillars, which
soon turn into stately monarch
butterflies. It is also attractive to
other butterflies, such as red
admirals, swallowtails, and skippers.
It’s not uncommon to see numerous
caterpillars swarming these plants in
summer. You can start butterfly weed
from seed, but it is probably better
just to build it into your garden plan
and buy a plant from your local
nursery as soon as the ground is
ready for planting. That way you are
sure to get flowers the first summer.
Give your flowers a head start by
planting seeds indoors four to
eight weeks before your last
expected frost date. Don’t
know when that date is? Go to
BHG.com /lastfrost
to find out
for your area. All you need then
is a bag of soil-less seed-starting
mix and any small container you
have around (be sure it has
drainage holes).
■ Moisten seed-starting mix or
pellets before planting. Plant
seeds according to package
directions. Cover containers
loosely with plastic wrap to
keep them moist and warm.
Then wait.
■ After plants sprout, turn up
the light. Remove plastic wrap
and place in a south-facing
window with at least
8
hours of
sunlight, or use a grow light
placed
2-3
inches above the
plants. Young plants like about
12 -16
hours of light a day.
■ Transplant seedlings into
larger containers as needed.
Once the frost date in your area
is past, your plants will be ready
to go outside, but take it slow.
Plants need to get used to spring
weather in a transition period
called “hardening off.” For a
week, put them outside during
the day and bring them in at
night. For the first few days, put
your plants in a shady spot for an
hour or two, then move them
into the morning sun. Keep
them out of afternoon sun until
the week is over and they’re
ready to transplant. For more
tips, visit
BHG.com/seedstarting.
226 APRIL2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
