The Joy of Bird Feeding

May 18, 2023

Why feed birds?

It takes time, money, effort, and dedication to consistently feed birds the most nutritious and most attractive foods. Why do we do it?

Enjoyment

The most obvious benefit is simple enjoyment their company can bring us- their colors, their songs, their behaviors. While birds will naturally visit any backyard, adding feeders and bird friendly plants will attract more species and keep them there longer.

Interacting with nature

For many urban birders, the birds they see at their feeders may be the only wild animals they have a chance to interact with. This can be an ideal activity for senior citizens, individuals with limited mobility, or young children to get their first exposure to nature. Children can enjoy the whole process, from buying the food, filling the feeders, and watching the birds.

Giving Back to Nature

While feeding the birds brings backyard birders many benefits, it also benefits the birds by replacing food sources that have destroyed by development. When homes are built and landscaped, birds lose important nesting spots, shelter, and natural food sources, but proper feeding and landscaping can help replace those resources. Our efforts to create inviting habitats in our yards and to provide food and water actually do make a difference.

Your own organic pest control

Birds eat much more than seed, suet, and nectar. Feeding birds in your backyard invites them to feast on the insects such as mosquitoes, snails, and spiders in your landscape.

Combined with Gardening

Truly useful habitat for the birds combines food, water, and places to raise their young. We can provide some food and water, but birds still have to have trees, bushes, perennials, annuals, and “wild places” to thrive.

Bird Feeders

With the right bird feeders, seed and other foods you can better attract birds.

Feeders are not “one size fits all”–different species are attracted to different designs.

A platform feeder or tray is any flat, raised surface onto which bird food is spread. Trays are a great first feeder and attract most species of feeder birds. Backyard birds find food by sight and if you offer foods on a tray with nothing to come between the birds and the food you make it especially easy. Birds prefer its ease of landing and wide space for scratching around for their favorite seed.

Tray feeders are great for viewing birds and their behavior; however, a tray feeder’s capacity is low and the food can get wet, it needs to be filled every day or so.

Even though one feeder can serve many species, a variety of feeders can entice even more birds.

A hopper feeder is a platform upon which walls and a roof are built, forming a “hopper” that protects seed against the weather. This feeder can hold a seed blend that attracts 80% of the local birds and last four or more days before refilling.

A suet feeder provides a very high energy food and is a favorite of woodpeckers. The best suet for bird feeding is a “suet blend cake” made with high-quality rendered beef kidney fat and added protein such as peanuts, nuts, and dried insects.

Tube feeders work well for sunflower hearts or for blends combining sunflower hearts, peanut pieces, and safflower. Tube feeders have smaller food openings and fewer places to perch. This is a good solution for too many doves or house sparrows at your feeder.

Cylinder feeders

Circular cakes called “cylinders hold seed together with a natural protein binder. Cylinders can contain seeds, suet, nuts, or various combinations of those ingredients. Cylinders are great all the time, but they are perfect when you go on vacation because there is always something to eat. Cylinder are exposed to rain so use smaller cakes or cut them in half crosswise and put out half at a time.

Nectar feeders are specially made to dispense nectar through small holes. Choose a feeder that is easy to take apart and clean, because the feeder should be washed or run through the dishwasher frequently.

Characteristics of feeders to consider include:

Visibility so birds will notice the new feeder and see the available seed
Appropriate feeding ports for seed type and desired bird species
Multiple perches or platforms to accommodate many birds comfortably
Feeder capacity and refill frequency expectations
Pest-resistant features, such as built-in baffles or no-chew construction
Suitability to the climate to keep seed dry, if needed
Durability and ease of maintenance and cleaning to keep the feeder in top shape
Demonstrate how the feeders meet those characteristics.

Types of seeds

Like people, birds have different preferences when it comes to food.

The most common type of seed offered at feeders in North America is black-oil sunflower seed. It is high in energy and has thin shells, making it the preferred food item for a wide variety of birds. Black-oil sunflower is among the favorite feeder foods of cardinals, chickadees, finches, and sparrows. Sunflower seeds mimic the seeds of trees including pine, spruce, fir, elm, and sweetgum, plus flower seeds of all sizes, and of course, sunflowers. Sunflower seeds without hulls are called chips, hearts, or kernels. Sunflower-loving birds split sunflower seeds (cadinals), pound them open (chickadees and titmice), or swallow them whole (doves).

Safflower seed is a whitish seed similar to sunflower in its amount of fat, protein, and calories. It is an excellent problem-solver when used alone in a feeder, because while blackbirds, European starlings, and many squirrels don’t like it, Northern Cardinals, chickadees, House Finches, Tufted Titmice, and many other sunflower-loving birds do. You may have to do a 5ifty-fifty blend of sunflower seeds and safflower seeds to introduce it.

White proso millet, a shiny round seed, is the best small seed to include in blends or offer alone. Such beautiful birds as Dark-eyed Juncos, White Crowned Sparrows, and Painted Buntings are attracted to millet. None of the other grains, such as milo, wheat, and canary seed, are liked as much as white millet, so look for blends that have white millet and none of those other grains.

Birds constantly seek out high-energy foods, and peanuts are one of the highest calorie foods they can find, second only to sunflower hearts.

Peanuts are fed to birds in a variety of forms, including peanuts in the shell, shelled peanuts, peanut pieces, and peanut hearts.

Peanuts in the shell are a challenge and only a few birds have the beak strength to open them. Blue Jays, Tufted Titmice, and many woodpeckers can crack holes in the shells. Jays love peanuts in the shell; they often cache peanuts for later retrieval. Chickadees and titmouse hold the peanuts in their feet and peck it into smaller bits.

If you use a no-mess blend such as sunflower chips, peanut pieces, and hulled white millet, you will avoid piles of shells on the ground or deck. With additions of tree nuts and dried fruit, you can broaden the appeal to even more birds.

Getting the right feeder and filling it with seeds is a great start. But are you providing the best space for the birds? There are many factors that that go into backyard birding and these are some of the common mistakes.

1. Not providing clean water

Birds rely on food AND water from their favorite backyards. Providing a source of water along with your feeder will make your backyard a one-stop shop for birds. Empty and refill your bird bath every few days in both summer and winter.

2. Using Bargain Basement Birdseed

The cheapest birdseed is often loaded with inexpensive fillers such as cracked corn, milo, oats, or wheat. These seeds and grains appeal to very few species, and other birds will toss the seed to the ground instead of eating it, causing a mess of sprouting weeds. Birders can save money on birdseed by choosing the types of seeds their birds prefer and only offering those good foods so none goes to waste.

3. Using Only One Kind of Bird Feeder

Birds have different diet preferences, and different species prefer different feeder styles. Open feeders with trays or perches will attract a decent variety of birds, but to maximize bird feeding it is essential to use different feeders. Consider a mesh sock for goldfinches, nectar feeders for hummingbirds, suet feeders for woodpeckers, mealworm dishes for bluebirds, and jelly feeders for orioles.

4. Not Cleaning Bird Feeders

Dry seed in feeders should be changed every 5-7 days and the feeders should be cleaned monthly. Hummingbird feeder nectar should be changed every two to three days, and cleaned weekly. Don’t overfill feeders until you know how much the birds will eat. Cleaning feeders regularly helps prevent bacteria that can be harmful to birds. If there is any moisture from rain or sprinklers, feeders should be cleaned more often. Clean feeders with hot soapy water or a mixture of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water to get rid of bacteria, fungi, or mold. Rinse thoroughly. Wear gloves.

5. Not Feeding Winter Birds

Many novice birders assume it isn't necessary to feed birds in winter because there are no birds around. In fact, feeders can be even more critical to winter birds than they are during the summer when hatchlings need to be fed, and there are dozens of winter backyard birds, many of which aren't around in the summer, that will happily visit bird feeders for a healthy winter meal.

6. Making Bad Hummingbird Nectar

The best way to attract hummingbirds is to use the right red feeder with clear hummingbird nectar. The red dye found in some homemade nectar or other brands can be harmful to hummingbirds. Never use any sweetener other than plain white sugar to make nectar. Choices such as honey, brown sugar, fruit juices, and artificial sweeteners do not provide the proper sugar concentration for hummingbird food, and they can produce mold that is deadly to the birds. Use a product that contains feeder fresh or nectar defender in your hummingbird nectar recipe. There are other ways to attract hummers. Plant salvias, pentas, cannas, bee balm, porter weed, and other hummingbird friendly plants to make your garden a hummingbird haven.

7. Not providing shelter

Birds find comfort in natural shelter from shrubs, trees, and bushes.This provides cover, protection against predators, and nesting areas. Make sure trees and taller shrubbery aren’t too close to feeders because this can give cats an advantage.

8. Letting Feeders Get Empty

Birds can be forgiving if a feeder is empty for a few days, but a feeder that is consistently empty won't attract birds. Wild birds won't starve if feeders are empty since they get most of their food from natural sources, but they also won't return to an unreliable food source. Refilling feeders more promptly will attract a wider variety of birds in every season and will help keep the feeder clean and in good repair. A seed cylinder is a good choice if your will be out of town a few days.

9. Ignoring Natural Bird Food Sources

Feeding birds does not have to mean putting out multiple bird feeders and spending money on expensive seed, not to mention the time and effort to fill and clean feeders. Birders who avoid natural foods such as fruit trees or nectar-producing flowers, or who kill insects that birds can feed on, are depriving birds of the most nutritious, easiest, and most economical food sources available.

10. Not Protecting Bird Feeders

There are many other forms of wildlife that will raid feeders before birds can even get a chance to have a meal. Raccoons, deer, squirrels, rats, and even bears will snack at feeders, often depleting the seed supply or even breaking the feeders without letting any birds get a bite. At the same time, unprotected feeders also expose birds to predators when their senses are dulled by feeding.

11. Storing Seed Carelessly

Birdseed does have a long shelf life, but only if stored properly. Seed that isn't stored well can spoil and be invaded by pests such as mice, rats, larvae, silverfish, earwigs, or moths. As seed gets old and dries out, it is also less nutritious and will not attract as many birds. If water gets into the seed, mold can grow that can make birds sick and the strong smell may attract even more unwanted pests.

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February Gardening To Do List

January 23, 2026

The month of February has the theme of ROSES! Now is a great time to plant bare root or container roses in our region. Early planting of these bushes allows them to become established in their new locations before they begin to bloom. This increases the number and quality of roses. Plus, the bushes are more prepared to deal with summer heat when it arrives in May-June. Always plant roses in a sunny, well prepared flowerbed with excellent drainage. They'll need about 8 hours of full sun daily. Wait to fertilize until established. Enjoy cut rose bouquets all year long! FEBRUARY TO DO LIST: -Prune drift roses in the middle of the month, and get ready for a spectacular show in the spring. -Prune landscape trees and any deciduous & evergreen plants that won't flower in spring. -Trim back dormant ornamental grasses in late month. It's important to remove the brown leaves before the new growth emerges and mixes with the old growth. -Plant petunias now for a good flower show in early spring. -Plant bulbs for spring & summer color. -Remove old flowers from cool-season bedding plants to extend blooming and improve flower show. -Replenish cool season crops. -Shop for spring seeds. You can always begin a spring seedling in a cow pot, which is an organic biodegradable solution to planting! -Apply a pre-emergent herbicide to stop weeds in their tracks for lawns and beds. -Clean out bird baths and houses to get ready for spring residents. -Watch for lacebugs on azaleas. They cause foliage to have numerous small white spots as they feed under lower foliage. We can help you control them. - February is the ideal time to fertilize trees. The trees that benefit most from fertilization at this time are the ones that are in the first 10 years after planting. Trees in low vigor also should be fertilized. The best way to fertilize them is by evenly applying the fertilizer around the base. Place it halfway out from the trunk and slightly past the drip line where most feeder roots are found. Deciduous trees require 4-6 lbs of a balanced fertilizer per 1000 sq ft of area. Evergreen trees are fertilized at a rate of 1-3 lbs per 1000 sq ft. A great resource for citrus trees is LSU Ag Center's "Louisiana Home Orchard" pdf document. You can find it by clicking here. February is also a great time to plant pecan and other fruit trees in order to establish a healthy root system. -Don't forget your sweetheart! Nothing says love like roses! This year, instead of giving a dozen roses that will die after a few weeks in a vase, what about giving a rose bush that will continue to bloom? Endless love!

Plan your Spring Flowerbeds

January 23, 2026

Plan the number and size of flowerbeds so the maintenance they will require can be carried out-not just in spring, but through the hot summer months. Trust us- we want you to plant to your heart’s content! But, be careful not to plant more beds than you have the time, physical ability or inclination to devote to their care and upkeep. Think about the colors you want to use and their placement in the landscape before you come visit us. However, we can always help you with that if you’re not sure! We suggest you use masses of colors to maximize visual effects. Use colors that combine well with the background and that pleasantly harmonize or contrast with each other. Locate color in the landscape where you want to focus the viewer’s attention. Evaluate the light conditions and determine if the bed is sunny (6 hours or more of direct sun) or shady (2-4 hours of direct sun) before you come visit us. That way, we can help you make the right selection for success. We want to help you choose the plants that will do well in the location where you intend to plant them. Check the labels on the plants you consider using for how tall they will grow, since this is important to how you will use them. It’s not unusual for bedding plants to exceed the size on the tag in our area due to our long growing season and fertile soils. But, it’s a good guide! Enrich flower beds with 2-4’’ of organic matter, such as compost, and general-purpose fertilizer (following package directions) thoroughly incorporated into the upper 8’’ of soil. The performance of bedding plants in your landscape depends a lot on how well you prepare the beds prior to planting. After planting, apply about 2’’ of your favorite mulch to be icing on the cake! Enjoy your flowerbed!

Timely Tips for Spring

January 23, 2026

Perennials - Cut remaining stems and leaves from last season including ornamental grasses, do this before new growth begins. Divide perennials like Hosta and ornamental grasses every three to five years to promote healthy plants and share with friends or create new plantings. Fertilize with Fertilome Blooming & Rooting - this is a premium flower food designed to supply the necessary nutrients to maximize blooms throughout the growing season. Landscape Beds - Prune non-spring flowering shrubs before new growth begins to shape and encourage a more compact habit. Clean up all debris and apply Osmocote, just one feeding provides a constant supply of nutrients for 4 months and encourages a strong root system. Prevent weed growth before it starts with Hi-Yield Weed & Grass Stopper with Dimension under mulch to stop weeds for up to 4 months. This product works better on grassy weed seeds and lasts longer than Treflan and will not harm existing plants. Rose Care - As new growth begins, prune all the injured stems from winter to about 12 inches. To prevent disease/fungus from over wintering, clean the rose bed by removing leaves and other debris. Feed now with any organic form of fertilizer that provides all the necessary nutrients in a non-burning, ready to use granular application that produces wonderful results. Vigorous growing roses are far less susceptible to pest attacks than those that are struggling. Lawns – Apply Fertilome St Augustine Weed & Feed to fertilize your lawn/grass. This not only greens up the lawn but also prevents many other weeds before they start. Feeding with Fertilome St. Augustine Weed & Feed makes it strong so that it chokes unwanted weeds out. Practice patience, Spring renewal has just begun! Winter injury is showing up on many landscape plants, particularly broad-leaf evergreens like Azalea, Bottlebrush, Boxwood, Euonymus, and Mahonia. Brown leaves are a typical sign and as temperatures rise the damage will become even more apparent. Even though leaves look dead, the stems may be fine. So what can you do? Our best advice, practice patience. Wait until new growth appears (which could be well into April this year) before trimming. If you cannot wait until new growth starts, be sure you are only cutting off dead stems. You can tell by scratching the stem with your fingernail. If the internal part of the stem is still green there is a chance you will get new leaves. Dead brown leaves should fall off as new growth occurs. For palms, let them yellow from the outside of the frond to the trunk. They are sending nutrients back to the trunk to preserve themselves. Cut off the brown fronds.

Best Products for Roses

January 23, 2026

When the calendar page turns to February, we all think of Roses! Roses say “love” with their beauty and fragrance. Planting roses now ensures vigorous blooms for Valentine’s Day and beyond. Whether you enjoy the soft, quintessential romantic tones of pinks, reds and whites or say your love loud with yellow or purple, we have the rose for your garden. To hold hands with your new rose, here is a guide of products. Please visit with a knowledgeable employee at our garden center to determine which of these is the best fit to help your rose garden take root and grow. Bayer All-in-One Rose & Flower Care This product’s exclusive 3-in-1 formula feeds and protects in one easy step. The fertilizer promotes strong roots and beautiful blooms. The insect control keeps small biting pests like Thrips, Aphids and others away. The disease control helps with black spot, powdery mildew, rust and Southern blight. One application of this will protect your roses for 6 weeks. Fertilome Rose & Flower Food with Systemic Insecticide This product is excellent in early Spring & early Fall. It will help to boost an attractive Spring & Fall display by promoting strong roots and beautiful blooms. With a systemic insect control built it, it will protects plants from damage by aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs, scale among other pests. As a bonus- it boasts “rainproof protection” so no worries if you put down the product only for it to get wet. This will feed for up to 8 weeks and treats up to 32 rose bushes (or 200 sq ft) so get growing y’all! Organic Options: These options are favorable year-long fertilizers, which break down into soil to become part of the soil’s eco system. This helps to feed for a long time. Espomoa Rose-Tone {Rose & Flower Food} This product is designed to supply the necessary nutrients for growing prize-winning roses. It’s created from natural and organic plant food, but not containing any sledges or fillers. How does it work? The organics inside break down gradually to provide a long-lasting food reservoir throughout the growing season. There is also a proprietary blend of microbes that biologically enhances the mix, called Bio-Tone, thus resulting in superior plant growth. Natural Guard by Fertilome {Rose & Flower Food} This product is formulated to create more flowers that are larger and more vibrant. Inside this organic product is all natural options that can be used with confidence in your garden. Like Espoma’s Bio-Tone, this product has a similar ingredient “BIOZOME.” BIOZOME is a micro-nutrient fertilizer that contains all the essential micro-nutrients Boron, Cobalt, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Sulfur and Zinc. Dr. Earth Rose & Flower Fertilizer This product is a liquid rose and flower fertilizer, which is absorbed much quicker and produces results much faster. It contains PreBiotic and ProMoisture Hydrate, which is to feed flowering plants naturally and promotes bigger, more abundant blooms. The PreBiotics (soluble sugars) provide the existing soil microbes with food and energy to multiply more quickly. ProMoisture Hydrate (Aloe vera) concentrate assists in the hydration of biotics in the soil by coating them with a patent-pending slimy layer to enhance mircrobial hydration. Happy Frog Jump Start Fertilizer This product is great for any new planting, including roses! It is specifically formulated to get new plantings established faster. This proprietary mix of fertilizers supplies phosphorus, which is necessary for root development. It also contains calcium, which builds stronger cell walls, boosting the plant’s ability to resist disease. Mycorrhizal fungi are included to help increase root efficiency, which may enhance nutrient uptake and water absorption.

Rose Types + Care

January 23, 2026

Roses enhance a garden with beauty & elegance. Now is the perfect time to plant bare root roses so they can come alive in your garden this spring. But, first you need to decide which genre best suits you! Here are the types of roses: Hybrid Teas Roses have been providing colorful displays, rich fragrances and beautiful cut flowers for years. They are exceptionally versatile, useful and will bring years of beauty to your home and garden. These roses are considered the 'Royalty' of the rose family. They are known for their large pointed buds and long, strong stems. Hybrid teas are the classic long stem rose. They are ideal as a cut flower, either alone or in an arrangement. Regular deadheading is recommended for best bloom. Grandifloras They are similar to the hybrid roses and bear large, hybrid-tea like flowers with the same form, but with cluster of blooms on each stem. They are tall, hardy and vigorous. Grandifloras have shorter stems than hybrids, but still make good cut flowers. They can easily be used for creating a mass of color in the landscape. Regular deadheading enhances performance. Floribundas This is now the second largest class of roses. They are shorter-growing than the hybrid teas, and bloom heavily, producing clusters of flowers from June till frost. Their flowers tend to be smaller than hybrid teas. Their lower heights make them ideal for walkways, borders, or in a bed with other roses such as hybrid teas and grandifloras. Periodic trimming keeps them at their best. English These are a cross between old and modern roses popularized by David Austin. Designed to be massed together they offer a charming old-fashioned form and rich fragrance. Miniatures Miniature roses are perfectly scaled, smaller versions of full-sized roses. They are almost always propagated and grown on their own roots, making them extremely winter hardy. They require more frequent watering, as their roots are smaller and not as deep into the soil. A general rule for fertilizing miniatures is a third as much, twice as often. They grow 6"-36" tall, and are ideal in containers, rock gardens or as edging plants. Shrubs This type of rose has flourished in popularity over recent years because of their hardiness and carefree maintenance. Shrub roses bloom profusely during the growing season and require minimal winter protection. Perfect for low borders, hedges and foundation plantings. Occasional trimming in late summer and winter is usually enough for these hardy plants. Flower Carpet Flower Carpet roses are ideal for borders. Be sure to leave sufficient space for these hardy, heavy bloomers. Drift Exceptionally hardy, spreading roses that quickly cover large spaces. Ideal for slopes or anywhere you want low-growing color that's attractive and practically carefree. Climbers Climbers are vigorous and easy to grow. Climbers produce very long canes that need to be anchored to a fence, trellis or other support. Give them plenty of room and fertilizer. A stunning look is planting a climbing rose and a clematis vine together for continuous flowering. Roses have been providing colorful displays, rich fragrances and beautiful cut flowers for years. They are exceptionally versatile, useful and will bring years of beauty to your home and garden. Now, you’ve selected what type is best for you and your garden. Here’s how to plant: Site preparation All roses require full sun (at least 4-6 hours per day). Locations that receive early morning sun offer good protection against mildew. Roses need well-drained soil. Good soil additives, like forest compost and peat, are ideal. Use 1/3 additive and 2/3 soil for your planting bed. Planting The hole should be dug twice as wide and 1 1/2 times as deep as the root ball of the rose. Build a mound of soil in the hole to support roots and to hold the plant at the proper height. The bud level should be at above the soil line to protect from rot. Fill soil around roots and water thoroughly. Apply 2-3 inches of mulch to conserve moisture and prevent weeds. Watering During spring and fall roses should receive 1/2 gallon of water per day and 1 gallon a day during the hot summer days! Water roses well before going into winter. Use of a soaker hose is highly encouraged. These work by getting the water to the plants where they need it most, (the roots) and keeping the foliage as dry as possible. If you do water from above, do so early in the morning so the foliage has a chance to dry. This will discourage fungal diseases. Fertilization Fertilize when roses begin to leaf out in the spring, around March 15, and again in mid-June. Water thoroughly after each fertilization. Do not fertilize after mid- August in this area. Pruning The first major pruning is done in spring when the last hard frost has passed. You will want to remove dead or diseased wood and any weak, damaged, or crossed branches. This should leave you with three to four healthy strong canes pencil size or larger. Make sure all cuts are done on an angle so water will run off canes instead of sitting on top. If you prune well in the spring, you may not have to prune too much the rest of the season. Deadhead hybrid teas, grandifloras and floribundas during the season. This is when you cut a finished bloom 1/4” above a fifth leaf on the outside of the cane. You will want to stop pruning by mid-September.

Late January- Mid February: Time to Prune your Roses

January 23, 2026

Repeat flowering roses should be pruned anytime from late January through mid-February. We call it a "Labor of Love" as an easy way to remember to prune roses around Labor Day and Valentine's Day. We are in the realm of Valentine's Day, so it's time to give roses some "love." This pruning is especially important for the popular hybrid tea and grandiflora roses, but all types of repeat-flowering roses benefit from pruning. Without the annual pruning, roses generally become leggy, less vigorous and unattractive and do not bloom as well. To prune, use sharp bypass pruners on your roses. Should you need to cut canes larger than one –half inch in diameter, you should use bypass loppers. It’s a good idea to wear a sturdy pair of leather gloves and long sleeves to protect your hands and arms from the thorns. When pruning Hybrid Tea and Grandiflora Roses: First, remove all diseased or dead canes and weal or spindly canes that are the diameter of a pencil or less by cutting them back to their points of origin. A good rose bush should have 4-8 strong, healthy canes the diameter of your finger or larger after this first step. Cut back the remaining canes to about 24 inches from ground level. When you prune a cane, make the cut about one-quarter inch above a dormant bud or newly sprouted side shoot. Try to cut back to buds that face out, away from the center of the bush. The new shoot produced by the bud will grow outward, opening up the bush for light, air and orderly growth. This may seem picky, but it makes a difference. When pruning other types of ever-blooming roses: In general, roses in this category have more pleasing shapes without severe pruning. But, pruning is still needed to stimulate vigorous growth and control the size and shape. First, remove any dead or diseased canes. To lightly shape the bushes, selectively cut back individual branches to improve the overall form. If a bush is overgrown, it will tolerate hard pruning to get back into shape. As a rule of thumb, these roses are cut back about 1/3 to ½ their height, depending on the situation. Long, especially vigorous shoots that have grown well beyond the rest of a bush and make it look out of balance may be cut back more than the rest of the bush. Young bushes planted within the past year or two likely will not need drastic pruning but they may be cut back lightly to encourage a full, bushy plant. When pruning once-blooming roses: Once-blooming roses should not be pruned now in late winter. Once-blooming roses produce their flowers on growth made the previous year. If they are pruned back now, they will produce few, if any, flowers. It’s far easier for you and healthier for the rose bush if you prune at least once a year. It is very difficult to properly prune a rose bush that has been allowed to grow for several years without pruning. There’s another prune push in late summer-around late August. Adapted from Horticulture Hints, LSU Ag Center. Click Here to visit LSU Ag Center.

Let Love Grow: Valentine Plants

January 23, 2026

The day we celebrate love is approaching! It’s the day florists across the world are busy bees placing together beautiful blooming arrangements. We all love to receive those cut flowers, however, what about “cultivating” a different floral gift this year? You can say “I love you” with in ground plants that will bloom and allow love grow for years to come! Check out our list of options, and come to the garden center for more or a gift card they will really love! Specialty Roses Roses are the universal sign for “I Love You.” We have a huge selection of specialty roses. Instead of giving roses in a bouquet to last a week, plant a rose to last a lifetime! The blooms are easy to fall in love with, and can be used in cut flower arrangements for every Valentines Day and beyond! Give a rose named, “Lastly Love,” or simply “Love,” or select one of these ruby red varieties with the classic look: Hot Cocoa; Lasting Peace; Chrysler Imperial; Don Juan; Mister Lincoln; Veterans’ Honor; Olympiad; Oklahoma; Ingrid Bergman; Fragrant Cloud; Ink Spots. Click here for our 2026 Specialty Rose List Camellias Camellias are evergreen and cold-hardy winter shrubs that are low maintenance year-round. In the fall and through the winter, some varieties will bloom heart- throbbing flowers. These plants make excellent gifts for those gardeners who want to plant something special in their landscape to remember you by. The following varieties are some of the ones “dressed” in Valentine’s Day red: Tama Electra; Professor Sargent; and Kramer’s Supreme. The following varieties are in “blushing” pinks: Pink Butterfly; Bright Eyes; Yume; Tama Ikari; and Autumn Sun. Click here for Camellias for Winter Showcase Coral Bark Japanese Maple This maple tree boasts lime green foliage with red tinged edges in spring-summer. When it sheds its leaves for fall-winter, the bark left behind is coal-red in color! This is stunning as a landscape specimen and makes a great gift for year-round enjoyment. Cherry Blast Loropetalum Instead of chocolate covered cherries, present a Cherry Blast Loropetalum! These crimson/deep purple-foliaged shrubs bloom fuchsia at this time of the year for stand-out winter color! Plus, they are cold-hardy, not to be confused with “cold-hearted!” Little John Bottlebrush These bullet-proof shrubs have an interesting texture that pairs nicely with other landscaping shrubs, and it blooms crimson red “spikes” that resemble a bottle brush. Hummingbirds are attracted to these and will frequent the bushes in their migratory stays through Acadiana. Your love will just love watching these ruby throated fast flyers! Succulents with a Rose Look Succulents come in many colors and textures, and their look has been trending for years. A great gift idea instead of a rose is a plant that looks like a rose! We have succulents in the greenhouse that resemble roses with their fleshy foliage! Coming home with a tray of rose-textured succulents is a different take on a “box of chocolates.” Cool Season Annuals Color your love red and pink with cool season annuals that come in those tones like Petunias, Geraniums, Gerbera Daisies, Dianthus, Snapdragons, and Cyclamen.

Winter Weed Cocktail

January 23, 2026

We all love a good mixed cocktail- even your lawn! This is our “winter weed cocktail mix” to help control the winter weeds and prevent the pesky spring & summer weeds from popping up. Ingredients: -1.5 ounce of Fertilome Weed Free Zone. This product is a consistent and fast-acting controller of tough weeds like clover, plantain, ground ivy, spurge and others. We love it because it has a proven cool weather performance. -8.6 ounces of Hi-Yield Atrazine Weed Killer. This product is to control both the emerged weeds and the weeds from seeds in St. Augustine and Centipedegrass. There’s a long list of tough weeds it’s known to control. -2 teaspoons of Hi-Yield Spreader Sticker. This product does just what its name suggests: It helps other products stick! It’s a non-ionic surfactant that improves and increases absorption of insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and liquid fertilizers. Once you have your ingredients gathered, mix them together in 1 gallon of water in a pump sprayer and apply uniformly over 1,000 sq ft of your lawn. For best results, apply starting in early February , for winter control and to help prevent Spring and Summer weeds. You only need one treatment of this anytime from early February until around late April- or when the temperatures become consistently in the 90s. To continue the treatment, applying Hi-Yield’s Dimension in early October will greatly help winter weeds from reoccurring. As always in any season, call on us to help you know it and grow it!

Create a Container Garden

January 9, 2026

Container gardening is a great way to enjoy all the pleasures of a garden without as much space, labor or time, but you don't have to sacrifice beauty. Plan your containers to use spillers, thrillers and fillers in dramatic combinations, and you'll have showstopping containers in no time. A key tip is to make sure you know where your container will be placed (sun/shade/partial) so all the plants will “speak the same language.” For example, a shade-loving thriller like Cordyline doesn’t enjoy the sun like fillers Zinnia would. For the best success, pick plants that enjoy the same conditions! We are always here to help! STEP 1: THRILLER The “Thriller” should be the largest, most colorful or most unusual in the container. Your “Thriller” is what draws attention to your container, and they are placed in the center or back of the container you choose. STEP 2: FILLER The “Fillers” function is to fill the space between the “Spiller” and the “Thriller.” The “Filler” should not outshine the “Thriller,” but work as a bridge between the “Spiller” and the “Thriller.” STEP 3: SPILLER The “Spiller” adds character to the container and softens the edges. Plants suitable for “Spillers” should have a trailing growth habit. “Spillers” should be planted around the rim of your container. Thrillers A thriller is the centerpiece of a container, and is often a tall, dramatic plant that immediately draws the eye. Opt for unique plants with unexpected textures or structures to create that thrilling spotlight in any container. An alternative idea is to have the thriller be an evergreen that is a staple year-round, and add in fillers and spillers to match the season. The selection of thriller plants, both in evergreen or seasonal varieties, is immense and would take a nice long stroll around our Garden Center to decide. However, here are some top ideas to get you inspired… Popular thriller plants include: · Elephant ears · Fountain grasses · Boxwoods, like the Spiral · Sky Pencil Holly · Agave · Agapanthus · Junipers · Salvia · Foxtail Ferns · Palms · Bleeding hearts with use of a trellis · Clematis with use of a trellis · Dwarf Meyer Lemon Tree · Lilies · Canna Lily · Cordyline Fillers Filler plants are smaller, mounding plants that literally fill in the excess space in a container, but they don't have to be boring. Look for colors, foliage shapes and textures that contrast well with your spillers and thrillers, and don't shy away from unusual options. The selection of filler plants, is immense (almost anything in our front color area) and would take a nice long stroll around our Garden Center to decide. However, here are some top ideas to get you inspired… Great fillers include: · Herbs · Small low and mounding ornamental grasses, like Aztec · Begonia · Coleus · Hostas · Ferns · Oxalis · Any seasonal color like zinnia, marigolds, celosia, vinca, etc Spillers Spillers are trailing plants that deliberately spill over the edge of containers to create a more organic, living feel to the arrangement. They can make a small container seem much larger. The selection of filler plants, is immense and would take a nice long stroll around our Garden Center to decide. However, here are some top ideas to get you inspired… Top spiller plants include: · Sweet potato vines · Clematis (could be a thriller also with the use of a trellis) · Nasturtium · Verbena · Trailing Petunias · Ivy · Lysimachia (Golden Globes blooms a yellow flower) · Delosperma/Ice Plant · Sedum, such as Lemon Ball · Trailing Vinca · Creeping Fig · Creeping Jenny · Cuphea (Honeybells, White, Bat Face, Bleeding Heart) No matter which spillers, thrillers or fillers you choose for containers, use each container as an opportunity to experiment with new and unique textures, colors or arrangements, and have fun choosing new plants to try. The more dramatic the arrangement, the more attention your amazing containers will get!

What's your Birth Month Flower?

January 2, 2026

Like gemstones, flowers can represent birthdays in each month of the year. Which one is yours? January: Carnation Carnations are the birth flowers for January. Different colors convey different meanings. White carnations symbolize pure love, while yellow means “wish you were here” and pink says, “you’re unforgettable.” Snowdrops, which indicate hope and beauty, are also flowers for this month. February: Iris and Violet February birthdays are represented by violets or irises, flowers that suggest loyalty and faithfulness. The three upright petals of an iris bloom can indicate courage, faith and wisdom, or friendship, hope and compliments. March: Daffodil Daffodils, sometimes called jonquils or narcissus, are the birth flowers for March. Because they often bloom in early spring, they symbolize new birth, beginnings, happiness and joy. April: Daisy and Sweet Pea Cheerful daisies represent April birthdays. While they often symbolize beauty, innocence, love or purity, they can also mean, “I’ll never tell.” Sweet peas are also birth flowers for April. May: Lily of the Valley Lilies of the Valley, with their sweet perfumes, celebrate May birthdays. They suggest humility and happiness. June: Rose Like carnations, roses, which represent June birthdays, have different meanings for different colors. Red roses signify love, while yellow ones indicate anything from jealousy to friendship. Orange or apricot roses mean desire and enthusiasm. July: Larkspur and Waterlily While pink larkspurs can symbolize a fickle love, purple ones mean first love, and white indicates a happy spirit. These pretty flowers are linked to July birthdays. Waterlilies, which stand for a pure and open heart, or majesty, also represent this month. August: Glads “Remember me” is the message of gladioli, birth flowers for August. The flowers can also mean strength and integrity, while the sword-shaped leaves suggest love-pierced hearts. In ancient times, glads were associated with magical powers. September: Aster Fall-blooming asters symbolize a strong and powerful love and are the birth flowers for September. They also indicate faith and wisdom. October: Marigold Marigolds, in their rich, autumnal colors, symbolize undying love and represent October birthdays. These pungent-smelling flowers can also mean “I’m thinking of you” or indicate sadness and sympathy. November: Mum Chrysanthemums, plants especially prized by Japanese gardeners, stand for November birthdays. White mums signify innocence and purity, while yellow ones indicate that a loved one feels slighted. December: Narcissus, Holly, Poinsettia Several plants represent December birthdays, including narcissus (think forced bulbs), hollies and poinsettias. Hollies show a desire for a happy home, while poinsettias stand for good cheer.