Wichita gardener’s almanac for Jan. 23
Feeding the birds — “Severe winter weather is not only hard on people but can be a life-and-death struggle for birds,” Ward Upham of K-State writes in this week’s Horticulture 2016 newsletter. The most universally appealing seed to put out for them is black oil sunflower. “If you are new to the bird-feeding game, make sure there is a high percentage of this seed in your mix,” Upham writes. “White proso millet is second in popularity and is the favorite of dark-eyed juncos and other sparrows as well as the red-winged blackbird.
“As you become more interested in bird feeding, you may want to use more than one feeder to attract specific species of birds.”
Upham gives this list of bird species with the grains they prefer.
▪ Cardinal, evening grosbeak and most finch species: sunflower seeds, all types
▪ Rufous-sided towhee: white proso millet
▪ Dark-eyed junco: white and red proso millet, canary seed, fine cracked corn
▪ Many sparrow species: white and red proso millet
▪ Bluejay: peanut kernels and sunflower seeds of all types
▪ Chickadee and tufted titmouse: peanut kernels, oil (black) and black-striped sunflower seeds
▪ Red-breasted nuthatch: oil (black) and black-striped sunflower seeds
▪ Brown thrasher: hulled and black-striped sunflower seeds
▪ Red-winged blackbird: white and red proso millet plus German (golden) millet
▪ Mourning dove: oil (black) sunflower seeds, white and red proso plus German (golden) millet.
Water for the birds — Birds also need water during cold spells. A heated birdbath can be a big draw for birds, Upham says, and the energy use is not huge if the heater has a built-in thermostat. Adrian Higgins of the Washington Post also says that changing the water often will minimize ice buildup and keep birdbaths clean.
Last call for treecycling — The county’s Christmas-tree recycling sites are open through Sunday. Remove all decorations before leaving the tree. The trees are chipped, and the resulting mulch is available for free. Here are the locations:
In Wichita: Boston Park, 6655 E. Zimmerly; Buffalo Park, 10209 Hardtner; College Hill United Methodist Church, First and Erie; Earhart school, 4401 N. Arkansas; Edgemoor Park, 5815 E. Ninth St.; Extension Center, 7001 W. 21st St.; Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E. 29th St. North; Old Cowtown Museum, 1865 Museum Blvd.; Osage Park, 2121 W. 31st St. South; South Linwood Park, Hydraulic and Mount Vernon.
In Cheney, East South Avenue and Garfield; Clearwater, Aquatic Center parking lot; Colwich, 115 N. Third; Derby, 2801 E. James; Garden Plain, water tower; Goddard, Means Park; Kechi, 107 Sioux; Maize, 201 S. Park; Mount Hope, 400 S. Thomas; Mulvane, 117 E. Main; Park City, 6801 N. Hydraulic; Valley Center, Veterans Park.
Garden events
Organic farm talk — Wichita physician Jennifer Jackson will give a talk Tuesday at a meeting of the Wichita Organic Garden Club about her experiences at Joel Salatin’s Intensive Discovery Seminar at Polyface Farm in Virginia last June. The farm calls itself “beyond organic” and uses rotational grazing for its livestock and chicken/egg operation. The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at Botanica and is free and open to the public.
Bee talk at Dyck Arboretum — Sustainable farmer and beekeeper Deborah McSweeney will be at Dyck Arboretum of the Plains in Hesston on Tuesday to give a talk on bee population collapse. The lecture will be at 6:30 p.m.; the cost is $2. More information: 620-327-8127.
Talk on making bread and soup — Extension agent Denise Dias will be at Botanica on Wednesday to talk about how to make hot bread and soup easily on a winter’s day. She’ll also provide recipes and samples. The lunchtime lecture, at 12:15, is included in Botanica admission. Lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. for $8.
Annie Calovich
This story was originally published January 20, 2016 at 5:39 PM with the headline "Wichita gardener’s almanac for Jan. 23."