Mother Nature's pruning?

Area trees by the hundreds, maybe thousands, got an unexpected “trimming” a few months back. In November, our area was hit by an unusually strong windstorm which either broke tops off or completely toppled huge trees. Most of those affected were Ponderosa pines. These have shallow, “pancake” shaped root systems which make them easily toppled by strong winds when the ground is saturated.

If that wasn’t bad enough, more damage was done in December when heavy wet snows piled up on trees. Many could not bear the load and even large branches broke. Worst hit seem to be the deciduous trees. Many have had to be completely cut down as almost every main branch had broken off. Such a shame to lose what has taken so many years to grow.

On a happier note, it’s time to welcome the hummingbirds. These guys usually return to our area about April 15 and stay until fall. I hung my feeders a bit early and was rewarded with my first hummer on April 7. Some of these early ones do not stay around long as they’re headed farther north but they appreciate the “rest stop.”

Most of the hummingbirds who visit our area are Calliopes. These are the smallest migrating bird in north America. They each weigh about the same as a nickel. Somehow they’re able to fly across the Gulf of Mexico twice a year as they migrate from North to South America. Amazing.

You don’t have to buy hummingbird food as you can make your own very easily. Just add ¼ cup sugar to 1 cup water. Heat until boiling. Remove from heat and stir until all granules have dissolved. Cool and then fill your feeder. Do not add red food coloring as it is harmful to the birds. Most feeders are red, which is enough to pique the birds’ interest.

The flowering trees — at least the survivors — have been putting on quite a show this spring. With our mild winter temperatures, even those “marginal” types are looking good. Soon the dogwood trees will join the party. One way to tell the difference between varieties is to look at the buds. Cornus Florida has rounded leaf and flower buds while Cornus Kousa has pointed ones.

Lots of stores already have shelves full of cold sensitive plants such as coleus and marigolds. If you are a big gambler, go ahead and plant them now. Personally, I’ll wait until May for these as they cannot take cold nights.

Snapdragons and petunias are two of a special class called “half hardy” perennials. They will live for years in states to the south of us, but usually not here. Because we had so little cold weather this winter, my snapdragons lived through it.

The Post Falls garden club will once again have Phyllis Stephens as our April speaker. She is very informative, not to mention hilarious. You do not need to be a club member to enjoy this fun and free evening. Plan to come and share this event with us on Wednesday, April 20 at 7 p.m. Come early to get a good seat.

Meantime, if you’re needing a rest, remember these sage words: Never do today what you can put off to tomorrow.

Elaine Cerny has gardened most of her life, starting in 4-H. She has belonged to garden clubs in three states and is currently serving as secretary for the River City Gardeners Club in Post Falls. Her column appears in The Press every other Sunday from early March until late October.