The Greener View: Fall Bird Feeders and Bulbs

Q: For the past month, we have had several hummingbirds using our feeder. It hangs in front of my office window, and I notice them all day long. Yesterday, there was only one. I assume they are leaving for migration. How long should I leave the feeder up? I don't want to have them not migrate because the feeder is up.

A: This is a common question. You are more observant than most people, who don't see any because they aren't watching the feeder very often and they miss the birds that are still coming. You should assume there are still hummingbirds around even after a frost or freeze kills many flowers. Some birds just don't seem to want to fly south, while others are well on their way. There are also hummingbirds farther north from your location that will be very happy to find your feeder on their way south. There is no reason why you can't leave the feeder up until all the flowers in your area are done blooming. Leaving your feeder up will not prevent any hummingbirds from migrating.

Q: When should I rehang my bird feeder for the cardinals and other seed-eating birds?

A: Anytime now in the fall is fine. There are some seed-eating birds that migrated north in the spring that may stop by your landscape hoping for a meal -- but mainly, your local birds will looking for the feeder as your area starts getting frosts.

As people start cleaning up their flower beds and cutting down perennials, there will be fewer seed-bearing plants available. There are still many shrubs and trees with various seeds and berries, so the birds are not in any danger of starving, but it is fun to see the birds that come to feeders.

Clean the feeders before they go back up, and buy fresh seed. You may also want to buy one of the new feeders with cameras built in so that you can see which kinds of birds are coming to your feeder. If you are considering a smart bird feeder, check out the bird feeder reviews in the feeder playlist on the Badgerland Birding YouTube channel.

Q: A neighbor has flowers blooming in his yard that look like crocuses. I can't see any leaves. I am wondering what they might be.

A: There are fall blooming crocuses and fall blooming colchicums that look like large crocuses. They are not in the same family of plants, but each group has many species. One of the fall blooming crocuses is the saffron crocus that we get the saffron spice and dye from.

I have recently posted several videos about all of these fall blooming bulbs on the A Greener View YouTube channel.

Q: I was talking to a friend who moved to Arizona over the summer. She said that tomato plants and other vegetables are for sale at her local stores. She is not a gardener, so she didn't get any, but I am wondering why they are for sale now.

A: Many areas of the dry and warm south have vegetables for sale now or will have them for sale soon. The proper time to plant them is in the fall, because they can't stand the heat of the summer. In the north where you are, cool season fall crops are planted in midsummer so they can be harvested in the fall. In hot climates, fall crops are planted to grow over the winter. Tomatoes don't bear fruit when it is hot and dry (even in northern climates), so planting them now will allow a crop over the winter.

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Email questions to Jeff Rugg at info@greenerview.com. To find out more about Jeff Rugg and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.