Monday, August 27, 2007

Garden Seed Swapping


© Donna L. Watkins - Male American Goldfinch

Our green-headed coneflower are seeding and the American Goldfinches are all over them as you can see from the photo.

It's that time of year when plants are forming seeds to repopulate themselves next year, to feed the birds that are migrating through, and so you have seeds to share with others.

DO NOT deadhead your plants or clear them out of the ground at the end of their bloom time. Leave them to feed the migrating birds. We tidy up our yard in the Spring. The plants also offer cover to overwintering beneficial insects. We've seen praying mantis egg cases and butterflies will winter over in chrysalises to emerge in Spring.

There's something miraculous about seeds. Such a tiny thing and yet it holds the strength and power of what will become a plant that will sustain the lives of wildlife, insects, birds and butterflies. All while providing the visual enjoyment and beauty that flowers bring to our lives.

Swap seeds with other gardeners. Here's a few sites to get you started: GardenWeb.com, Garden.org, and Dave's Garden.com

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