Ask the Experts

Pros offer gardening advice and insightful info on birds

Q How long do birds live in their nests?
Linda Johnson DEL RIO, TX

Kenn and Kimberly: In general, birds don't live in their nests the way people live in their houses. For most birds, the nest is like a cradle: a place to incubate their eggs and feed their hatchlings until those baby birds fly away. Then the nest is usually abandoned and never used again, and the parents build a new nest for their next attempt. Some large birds such as eagles and herons may use the same nest year after year, and some hole-nesting birds such as woodpeckers and chickadees may sleep in those holes at night year-round. But in most cases, the nest is simply a temporary child-care structure.

Q This plant has been growing in our garden every year for two to three years. The bees love the flowers. Can you tell us what it is?
Thomas Marnocha SOUTH BEND, IN

Melinda: Your bee-friendly plant is a blanket flower, also known by its botanical name, Gaillardia. There are annual, biennial and perennial species of these plants that flower freely all season long. Gaillardias thrive in hot, dry conditions and fast-draining soils. In fact, the profuse flowering and the intolerance for poorly drained soil often results in perennial varieties not surviving the winter, especially those growing in the North. Fortunately, this does not seem to be a problem in your garden. For those who have not had the best luck with blanket flowers surviving the winter, try cutting the plant back to 6 inches in late summer. This encourages the plant to redirect energy from flower and seed production to storage for winter survival.