(gentle upbeat music) (birds chirping) >>We are gonna vacuum and collect the beetles.

Count how many beetles per hydrangea plant.

And that give us an idea.

If that population's really high we track that over time.

And then you can jump into, "All right, can I release a beneficial, can I spray a selective insecticide, can I do a cultural practice?"

(birds chirping) >>Just leaving a patch of standing vegetation, it acts as a refuge for not just birds, but all sorts of mammals, insects, things that are overwintering on your property.

(birds chirping) >>Production funding for "Virginia Home Grown Clippings" is provided by viewers like you.

Thank you.

(gentle upbeat music) Welcome to Virginia Home Grown!

Today we are thinking about the wildlife that live in our gardens, especially the birds and the beneficial insects that enhance those spaces.

First, Dr.

Robyn Puffenbarger visited Luray to meet with Natalie Izlar from the Virginia Working Landscapes at the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, to learn how their program works to promote sustainable land management practices and how that benefits native plants and wildlife.

Let's take a look.

(birds chirping) >>We're in Page Valley.

Behind us is Shenandoah National Park on the Blue Ridge.

We have 200 acres here, about 50 acres that you're looking at here alongside the river of bottomland.

A lot of the birds like the indigo buntings like this type of field.

So wildlife likes lots of different kinds of habitats.

Closed forest is one example, but we have lots of closed forest around here.

But more open woodlands and open fields like this supports different species than you would find in a closed canopy forest.

So keeping the fields open is one of my primary tasks with this effort.

>>We have what we call habitat heterogeneity.

So we're seeing kind of the woods in the background, this shrubby edge layer, and then it comes into this open habitat.

And you can kind of think of your own backyard as maybe a patchwork quilt of sorts, where every piece is maybe doing something different for your native biodiversity on your property.

So if you have an area that's maybe more open for pollinators, you have an area that's maybe more shrubby, you can just kind of think of adding complexity to your backyard.

>>And so this large bunch grass that we're walking by, this is gonna have some seeds, I guess, later.

>>Yes, this grass is going to be doing a lot for the birds at different times of the year.

So right now while it's just getting started, it could provide cover for a nest.

If you imagine yourself as a baby quail, it'd be much more easy to navigate around a bunch-forming grass than it would like a sod, matte-forming, just wall of grass.

>>And what other birds are you gonna expect to see in this kind of habitat?

>>Yeah, so we will probably have a lot of song sparrows, field sparrows, things that will nest in these taller vegetation.

Indigo buntings is one that we see a lot that will nest in something like yellow crownbeard here.

And then, you know, just more American goldfinches will be coming through, flying over, and lots of things that will eat insects in the summertime.

And then it's important to think about how plants will transition throughout the year as well as birds.

So birds will eat insects mostly in the growing season, and then a lot of species will transition to more seeds.

These grasses and the different bee balm that you see here will really come into play and feed those birds over winter.

>>Wow.

And I'm seeing a lot, like you're saying, of heterogeneity in terms of the plants.

It's not all grass.

I'm seeing a whole lot more.

Is that one of the goals that you have for your homeowners?

>>Yeah, if we continue to add different types of species, the insects that depend on them will gravitate towards your yard.

And then the birds that depend on those insects will also come through.

The way you can look at it is kind of different timings of the year.

So during the breeding season, they're really gonna be feeding their young with insects.

Come the dormant season, the winter, they're gonna be relying on those seeds from these forbs and grasses as well.

>>And a lot of us would call forbs perennials.

Is that right?

>>Perennials, yes, yes.

>>If your home is a smaller landscape, what lessons can you take from this larger property and then maybe use to guide your landscaping and ideas for habitat at home in that smaller space?

>>Well, the first thing I would say is maybe just do a little bit less.

So, you know, maybe if you are mowing your entire backyard, maybe if you see some type of forb trying to struggle up, you know, next time you're mowing, just take a little swerve around it.

Let that flowering plant come through, and then you just have some variety to your yard.

More pollinators are gonna come to that plant, and you just kind of continue that cycle.

And then there's a whole host of other things you can do.

Planting native plants is a really great way to do it.

It encourages different types of birds to you come to your yard.

We also encourage, you know, supporting local farmers, and buying bird-friendly coffee is a really great way to support not just the birds that live here in Virginia, the birds that migrate through all over the place.

>>And so if you happen to have an oak or a hickory or maybe a cherry or a walnut, what else could you do?

As I've heard that trees often are in competition with our fescue, and you can do some other things to support the tree by actually not having grass right up to it.

>>Yeah, or stopping any kind of management underneath that tree.

Something we like to encourage is what we call a soft landing.

So if you have a big beautiful oak in your backyard, underneath it is really important for the lifecycle of all of these species of caterpillars that need kind of the soft landing to continue part of their lifecycle and continue to survive.

So birds really rely on, you know, lots and lots of caterpillars in order to feed their young.

So kind of thinking not just about the tree above, but the tree below is something we really encourage.

>>So you're thinking maybe leave the leaves?

>>Leaving the leaves, not mowing, not mulching right up around the bark, to just give that tree some breathing room.

And then if you do have a tree that dies on your property, it's something we call a snag, it's a standing dead tree, and that is incredible habitat for a lot of birds.

>>And so if you've got a little spot in your yard, how would you maybe build it for bird-friendly habitat?

>>Yeah, we could keep building on what we've talked about, kind of thinking about this, you know, different sort of landscape and habitat.

If you have some open area, and maybe you wanna transition to some taller structure, planting a shrub is a really great way to do it.

Elderberry is really important.

Their berries provide a lot of nutrients for birds before migration.

So something like that would be a wonderful addition to your backyard.

>>What about viburnums- >>Oh, yeah.

>>Some of native viburnums?

In fall, they have some really nice color, and in their droops, their fruit have not only lots of carbohydrates, but fats and protein to support our migrating and overwintering birds.

>>Viburnums are amazing choice.

Also, you know, a lot of people have boxwoods.

You could think about replacing maybe a boxwood with an inkberry or a native holly, which also has a lot of great berries, and it has that cover throughout the winter as well.

>>Are there any other perennials besides like the rudbeckia and the monarda we've seen here and some of the grasses that you'd recommend are native plants for birds?

>>I think if you're going native, you're on the right track.

I think having a variety is maybe the most important thing, so maybe not just planting, you know, straight bee balm or straight black-eyed Susan.

Having those species intermingle and just be a part of the whole ecosystem together is really the most important thing.

I don't think you're gonna go wrong with a native plant.

>>Thank you so much, Natalie, for meeting us here and showing us the biodiversity that Virginia Working Landscapes helps support.

>>Yeah, thank you, Robyn.

Our program is really, you know, just trying to study these native species more and improve conditions for them and, you know, just promote sustainable land management practices all across Virginia >>We see the bald eagles and the ospreys and the woodpeckers, lots of smaller birds, the indigos, and if you go up in the woods, there's the scarlet tanagers and Baltimore orioles.

So I like working with wildlife and having wildlife around, and creating better habitat is just really enjoyable.

And working with Virginia Working Landscapes to help improve the habitat has been really great.

(birds chirping) While curating a large meadow for birds and other wildlife is ideal.

Many of the same steps are applicable to attract birds to smaller spaces.

Usually I welcome birds in my garden, but there are a couple of exceptions.

Like when I have a tomato that's just about to ripen.

Now Shannon Williams has a tip for us.

I'm protecting our produce from our garden companions (upbeat music) >>When I'm just in the garden, I can hear the wildlife, I can hear the birds singing.

And I'll see bunny rabbits just hopping around and sometimes occasionally, I'll see a groundhog running through the garden.

And in the back wilderness is so cool just to watch some of the deer.

And sometimes I'll come into the garden and I'll see deer snacking but I also know that I want to enjoy some of what I'm growing just as much as they probably do too.

I use a metal fence, but it may be too small.

So some of the things that I do is, for the deer, I'll use this type of strong peppermint scent, and I'll put it around the border of the property.

That scent actually irritates their nose.

And also to stop some of the squirrels from damaging some of my seedlings because I like to make sure that they get a chance to grow up before, you know, there's any damage.

So what I'll do is I'll use some just simple plant covers and lay it on top of the beds just so the seedlings can get a chance to grow up.

But what I'll also do is I'll create some arches, and as the plants are getting taller, just so the birds doesn't snap off any of the top seedlings and things like that, I'll just make sure that they're covered using some arches.

But one of the things that I like doing with my tomatoes, and I said I'm going to do it definitely more often, is when my tomatoes start to turn red, I'll use just some simple netting, mesh netting.

But typically with these long rolls, you need an extra hand to make sure that it goes over smoothly and it doesn't damage any of your tomatoes.

So what I'll do is we'll lift this up and we'll securely put it over the top.

And as we're doing that, we're making sure that it drapes over the top and it drapes down, and we'll anchor this in place using some bricks or some sandbags.

So as you're gardening, consider using some of the different methods that I suggested.

Some simple plant covers just to protect your seedlings as they grow to slow the squirrels down.

And even some arches, just to make sure some of your plants don't get snapped off or eaten off the tops.

And also consider using some of this mesh netting to protect your tomatoes and other plants that you have in your garden.

Happy gardening.

While we want to keep some wildlife out of the garden at times, we do want to attract those which benefit our garden with pollination, pest control and soil health.

It's all about biodiversity.

And now let's take a look at my visit to the Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center to visit with Alejandro del Pozo, and learn about several research projects happening at the station to benefit pollinators and other insects in our gardens.

>>Alejandro, I have to admit, it's so good to be back at the AREC station, which is the Hampton Roads Agriculture Research and Extension station.

>>This is a great place we love to be here.

It is a 70 acre plot.

We have eight faculty resident here.

So from expertise in, like myself, in pest management, we have wheat science, disease management, even water engineer, greenhouse, and container and nursery production as well.

So our goal is to provide science-based solutions to homeowners, to our community, but also to the green industry, the growers, the nursery growers, the horticultural growers.

So overall, we would like to provide those beautiful plants for everybody to enjoy.

>>Yes.

And you even do what I call, the best part, is you do a display garden of all these different types and varieties.

>>Yes.

>>Of the annual bedding plants and perennials that we enjoy in our gardens so you can come and check it out.

>>Yes.

I like to invite everybody.

>>Yes.

>>This is 24/7, but I don't know if you want to come in the night.

>>Two in the morning.

>>Yeah.

Or two in the morning, of course.

Yeah.

But it's 24/7, 365, and it's open to the public.

You can make up your mind to see which colors you're gonna combine in your garden or your front lawn.

>>Exactly.

>>That tool, it's available for free here in our station.

You can come in on your own pace.

Everything is labeled.

It's a beautiful garden.

It's a beautiful display.

And it's a great resource.

It's a hidden gem.

>>Yes.

I will be honest, many of the Italian garden designs at Maymont were planned in that garden.

>>Oh, that's amazing.

That is amazing.

Okay.

>>In the heat of the summer.

>>Okay, cool.

>>So that's what I'm sharing.

>>Cool.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

>>It's a great resource.

>>But you've got other resources.

You've been involved with a lot of experiments directly yourself.

So share some of those with us.

>>Yeah, so actually behind us, we have one of the examples.

This is a pollinator strip.

So when we interact with homeowners in the community, the question was, "If I wanna plant something, can that attract pollinators?"

And the answer is yes, you can plant anything.

But now Alejandro, the million dollar question is, which ones will we plant?

>>Yes.

>>We have native perennials like black-eyed Susans.

Those are the poster child.

They are the ones that are bringing the bees, the flies, that are the underdogs for the pollinator world.

>>Absolutely.

>>They are interacting with flowers.

So our research actually showed that we can pay attention to those guys.

Those are one third of the individuals actually interacting with flowers.

So then you have beetles, you have moths, you got butterflies and all that.

But the entomology program comes here at 10 in the morning, 12:00, 2:00 PM, and we want to understand what are the pollinators are doing, are they present or not, which are the flowers they are present?

So all that is gonna be summarized in this little Virginia Cooperative Extension reports that we put together as well.

>>Fantastic.

Where can you access those reports?

>>Those are in the Virginia Cooperative Extension website, there is a search menu.

You can gonna find all these documents or summaries, one, two pages, with all the research that the faculty would put together for the community and for the growers as well.

>>Excellent.

Well, what are some of the other projects going on?

>>For example, related to pollinators, we do have more studies about use of different herbicides in order to prevent weeds to be overgrowing the flowers.

>>Yes.

>>We also have turf grass research.

So we have everything from drought, different cultivars and mowing, and insecticides and all these different things.

>>That's exciting.

It really is.

I mean, it's basically a homeowner's delight to come here and see what's going on, 'cause it all will affect them.

What is learned here will benefit them.

>>Absolutely.

We merge those two beautiful worlds.

So we serve the growers with the science-based solutions, but also serve the community, us as end users, to have that all ability and all that knowledge together.

Yeah.

>>Fantastic.

>>That's our goal.

>>You have another project out here and it intrigues me.

It's with hydrangea paniculata.

>>So here in the back we also have our growing path.

So we have a huge pest called the red-headed flea beetle and it only likes the ones that are potted.

>>That's weird.

>>Once you move them to your landscape, they're gonna be gone.

So now the driving question is why this red-headed flea beetles, these are native, they are in the landscape, - >>Yes.

>>so why they're preferring to be in those containers?

>>Yes.

>>So nutrition, irrigation, you know, substrates and all that.

And the beauty is that we are here with this multidisciplinary team at our station.

We can look at these questions as trying to answer in the years to come.

So stay tuned.

This is really exciting.

We really want to understand why this insect prefer that and becomes a pest.

>>And we need to remind homeowners too, that when plants are under stress, they emit a pheromone.

>>Absolutely.

>>Which pulls in the insects.

>>Absolutely.

Though there will be chemicals that are gonna help signaling the insects, like, hey, I'm a little stressed, I'm a little weakened, right?

So that's why we love gardening, we want to tend to those plants and give them the best, what I call the love, right?

>>Yes.

>>So the more you love them, the more they're gonna be cared, so, yeah.

>>Which ties into me with the other experiment you're doing with the herbicides and trying to understand how to better manage ornamental gardens.

Because we all go on vacation, we all come back and go, oh my gracious, look what happened?

>>Yeah.

So the the first things that we're trying to look is the pre-emergent herbicides, right?

Something that you can get it started with.

Then the other ones is, since we mostly get broad leaves, maybe we can selectively spray in a herbicide that actually goes after the narrow, which are the grasses, so.

>>Right.

>>Why there you got multiple tools that can help you getting those beautiful flowers getting up.

Once they get started, they're a go.

So we want that good start.

>>Yes.

>>And the herbicides can help.

And you and I we talk about this.

How can we limit exposure?

Because the pollinators are gonna come, no matter what.

They don't know if something is sprayed or not.

>>Right.

>>So when the weeds are not flowering, there's still the likelihood.

>>The window, yes.

>>It is that window where you probably consider to spray something.

But once the flowers are out, you don't wanna spray anything.

Even it's against the law.

>>Yes.

>>You know, the label says.

When something is blooming, you don't want to spray anything.

>>You don't wanna spray.

>>Yeah.

>>We've got those bee-friendly labels now and I love 'em.

>>Yes.

>>Because we were talking about sustainability, we understand that our gardens are now the ecosystem.

>>Yes.

Absolutely.

>>They're no longer separate.

>>Yep.

>>That we're all one now.

Well, Alejandro, what else do you have going on around here?

>>Another area that we are doing some research is releasing beneficials.

So we are using drones, and we're using the insects that are reared in the laboratory and bringing it back.

So called augmentative biological control.

>>Okay.

>>That gave us, yeah, it's a mouthful.

>>It is, yeah.

>>But it gave us the idea that you can attack having a pest that's eating your flowers, eating your plants, somebody, in this case, the good guy come in and lower down the population, so.

>>And that technology is making it accessible for growers to use.

>>Yes.

Yes.

>>So it's no longer something out of reach where they had to pay somebody.

They can now do that.

>>Absolutely.

And now you gotta think about, you know, the corners that you know, there might be, you can drop them, or specific areas of the farm that you need them.

>>And people don't realize that growers kind of treat their fields like we treat our gardens.

They know the corners, they know little hotspots, they know the areas, so it's not blanket treatments.

>>No.

>>Just like it shouldn't be in our gardens.

It's targeting the pest at the location of the highest concentration.

>>We would like to promote the scouting.

I've been told, "Alejandro, you sound like a broken record every time you talk about scouting."

But, Hey, that's the cornerstone.

We start with that.

Know how many.

Know what beetles.

Now, why, how, right?

Those questions.

>>Yes.

>>And then you can jump into, all right, can I release a beneficial, can I spray a selective insecticide, can I do a cultural practice, can I change the color of the pot?

>>Yeah.

>>You know, all those questions are gonna come together, and that's the beautiful integrated best management.

>>Please get out in your garden and walk it.

>>Yeah.

Absolutely.

>>And see it and look at it and watch it.

>>Yeah.

Absolutely.

>>So that you understand what's going on and where?

>>Yeah.

>>Even with your cup of coffee in the morning.

>>Yeah, yeah, yeah.

>>Just get outside.

>>Absolutely.

>>So.

Alejandro, I wanna thank you so much for all the work you're doing here, and you're making it easier for us to take our cup of coffee and go out and walk in our garden and have more tools in our toolbox to better understand what's going on in our gardens, so.

>>Yeah.

>>Thank you.

>>Thank you.

Our Extension services are a valuable but often underused resource.

I encourage you to check out your local Extension office.

You may be surprised at what they have to offer.

Next, Serome Hamlin has a tip to share to help reduce one of the unwanted insect visitors in our gardens.

Mosquitoes.

(upbeat rhythmic music) >>Today I am standing in my garden that I have created into a wildlife habitat.

So with that, there comes insects.

Now, there are a lot of insects that are beneficial for our gardens, but some of them are a nuisance, and that includes mosquitoes, especially in the summer with our hot, humid weather.

With the popularity of mosquito control companies coming in and spraying for mosquitoes, I don't think that is helping with the decline of our beneficial insects.

So one thing that you can do is to build a mosquito trap.

It's very simple and easy.

You just need a couple pieces of material, hardware cloth, mosquito donuts, that kills the larvae of the mosquito so they don't develop into adults, which are what is the nuisance that bite you, and then some plant material that you as gardeners will always have around.

This is just material that I've already cut out in the garden and we can just use this to stuff down in the bucket.

And this material, as it's breaking down, will attract the mosquitoes in.

So we'll just get the last little bit of this in here and, see, what we're doing is creating an environment that attracts mosquitoes and they like to go in here to lay their eggs.

Now that we've got this in, it's about halfway full, then we can fill this up with water.

Pop this on.

(water sprays lightly) The idea is to get the water filled up just above the plant material, and the mosquitoes, they will have this stagnant water sitting here and they will be attracted to come and lay their eggs.

And then what we're gonna do now is to add in the mosquito donut.

Now, with these, it's supposed to last for about 30 days, and this size container, you don't need the whole thing.

You could use a quarter, but I think I'm gonna use about half of it, just to be sure.

We're almost there with the water.

Okay, that's pretty good.

So now I'll cut this off and we can put the donut in.

With the hardware cloth, the mosquito still can go in, but I want to keep other things out.

I would not want a bird or a chipmunk or anything to get in and then they're not being able to get out.

So I've already folded this in so that it could just fit over the top of the bucket here.

Just be careful 'cause there is sharp edges.

Now that we've got this on, nothing else can get in.

So I hope you will give this a try.

It's very easy to do and all you have to do is just add in another donut maybe about every 30 days, and just check the water level, make sure that it hasn't evaporated too much, so you can add water as needed.

If you give this a try, hopefully your mosquito population will go down and you don't have to rely on other chemical treatments that could take out your other insects.

Go out, enjoy your summer garden, hopefully with a few less mosquitoes.

Bacillus thuringiensis is the biological pesticide used in mosquito donuts.

It occurs naturally in the soil and is safe for people, wildlife, bees, ladybugs and parasitic wasps.

But it is deadly to caterpillars and butterflies.

So please place a screen over the mosquito trap.

Thank you for watching.

We hope you will think more about your garden's role in the ecosystem.

Not just supporting plant life, but animal life as well.

See you soon and until then, remember, gardening is for everyone and we are all growing and learning together.

A lot of folks write in asking what they can grow in a shady backyard.

Maybe they've tried planting more sun loving varieties such as peppers and tomatoes, and really struggled getting them to fruit to maturity.

There are a lot of options that are very easy to grow, such as spinach, English peas and lettuces that you can add into your kitchen garden in your backyard.

Even if it's shady.

I hope that helps.

And happy gardening!

(birds chirping) >>Production funding for "Virginia Home Grown Clippings" is provided by viewers like you.

Thank you.

(gentle upbeat music) (chime)