Bird feeding

Last post 01-01-2009 3:28 PM by Clematis. 67 replies.

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28/12/2008 04:18 PM	In reply to
terraGirl Location: The Norfolk Broads Joined on: 28 Dec 2008 Posts: 14	Reply \| Contact The birds in our garden love the fire thorn (blackbirds) and cotoneaster (tits, finches). We grow them alongside the fence, easy to maintain and a real hit with the birds when it gets colder. Unfortunately they also love our plums - especially tits have a habit of hanging upside down & picking holes in the bottoms, followed swiftly by wasps. Rasperries are also much loved by birds - although with plenty of raspberries around the sharing between humans & wildlife is quite fair. Sunflowers are usually quite popular - even squirrels seem to like them. I don't really mind - just plant plenty and enjoy the acrobatics of birds getting the seeds.

28/12/2008 04:18 PM

In reply to

terraGirl
Location:
The Norfolk Broads
Joined on:
28 Dec 2008
Posts:
14

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The birds in our garden love the fire thorn (blackbirds) and cotoneaster (tits, finches). We grow them alongside the fence, easy to maintain and a real hit with the birds when it gets colder.

Unfortunately they also love our plums - especially tits have a habit of hanging upside down & picking holes in the bottoms, followed swiftly by wasps.

Rasperries are also much loved by birds - although with plenty of raspberries around the sharing between humans & wildlife is quite fair.

Sunflowers are usually quite popular - even squirrels seem to like them. I don't really mind - just plant plenty and enjoy the acrobatics of birds getting the seeds.

28/12/2008 08:39 PM	In reply to
Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347	Reply \| Contact How do you get your pyracantha (firethorn) to produce berries and still stay close to the fence? - or do you let it grow naturally?I have two and they've produced lots of berries so far, but they've now reached the top of the fence and bush out more than I'd like. I'm worried that pruning hard back will result in no flowers and berries. Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

28/12/2008 08:39 PM

In reply to

Phot's-Moll
Location:
The sunny South coast.
Joined on:
06 Jan 2007
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How do you get your pyracantha (firethorn) to produce berries and still stay close to the fence? - or do you let it grow naturally?I have two and they've produced lots of berries so far, but they've now reached the top of the fence and bush out more than I'd like. I'm worried that pruning hard back will result in no flowers and berries.

Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

30/12/2008 08:43 PM	In reply to
sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 5,199	Reply \| Contact In my pruning book Phot's it says that Pyracantha will tolerate hard pruning but it might make them more vulnerable to fireblight. sue1002

30/12/2008 08:43 PM

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sue1002
Location:
Ipswich, Suffolk
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In my pruning book Phot's it says that Pyracantha will tolerate hard pruning but it might make them more vulnerable to fireblight.

sue1002

31/12/2008 03:15 AM	In reply to
terraGirl Location: The Norfolk Broads Joined on: 28 Dec 2008 Posts: 14	Reply \| Contact I have to prune the fire thorn quite hard - it's only a small garden, and left to its own devices, it would take over! I prune in early spring after the berries are gone (and with very, very thick gloves). Does impact on the berries, so I try only to prune what's necessary. The shrub has a habit of flopping over, so I've tied it to the fence similar to a climber, but with very strong wire. And the main stem is supported by a thick bamboo cane. Any growth coming forward is pruned, any sideway growth tied to the fence via wire. Luckily the fence behind is a strong one with concrete pillars so it can take the weight. About pruning the RHS site says: http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0601/pruning_pyracantha.asp. No easy way to avoid reducing the berries - I try to only prune every other year and to only prune what's necessary (but that quite hard), to keep some branches unchanged for berries.

31/12/2008 03:15 AM

In reply to

terraGirl
Location:
The Norfolk Broads
Joined on:
28 Dec 2008
Posts:
14

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I have to prune the fire thorn quite hard - it's only a small garden, and left to its own devices, it would take over! I prune in early spring after the berries are gone (and with very, very thick gloves). Does impact on the berries, so I try only to prune what's necessary.

The shrub has a habit of flopping over, so I've tied it to the fence similar to a climber, but with very strong wire. And the main stem is supported by a thick bamboo cane. Any growth coming forward is pruned, any sideway growth tied to the fence via wire.

Luckily the fence behind is a strong one with concrete pillars so it can take the weight.

About pruning the RHS site says: http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0601/pruning_pyracantha.asp.

No easy way to avoid reducing the berries - I try to only prune every other year and to only prune what's necessary (but that quite hard), to keep some branches unchanged for berries.

31/12/2008 05:02 PM	In reply to
RobK Location: Manchester Joined on: 31 Dec 2008 Posts: 1	Reply \| Contact Hi, I have several feeders,with a mixture of seed,mealworms (dried) Nyger seeds, and nuts.These attract Coal tits and blue tits. I also scatter some seed on the lawn for the Blackbirds,robins,starlings,Dunnocks,Feral and wood pigeon. And just yesterday a song thrush. My Dad lives 10 miles from me and has lots of Goldfinches, These feed on the Nyger seeds,they prefer to feed away from the other birds so he has positioned the feeders away from the others. All this in Manchester less than 5 miles from city centre,on a normal housing estate,altough we do have lots of trees around. Which are home to a large flock of Long tailed tits. Numbers are down for garden birds,my neighbour a keen gardener for most of his 81 years tells me he used to get lots of birds. Still I suppose we should do all we can to attract them to our gardens,especially this time of year.

31/12/2008 05:02 PM

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RobK
Location:
Manchester
Joined on:
31 Dec 2008
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1

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Hi, I have several feeders,with a mixture of seed,mealworms (dried) Nyger seeds, and nuts.These attract Coal tits and blue tits.

I also scatter some seed on the lawn for the Blackbirds,robins,starlings,Dunnocks,Feral and wood pigeon. And just yesterday a song thrush.

My Dad lives 10 miles from me and has lots of Goldfinches, These feed on the Nyger seeds,they prefer to feed away from the other birds so he has positioned the feeders away from the others.

All this in Manchester less than 5 miles from city centre,on a normal housing estate,altough we do have lots of trees around. Which are home to a large flock of Long tailed tits.

Numbers are down for garden birds,my neighbour a keen gardener for most of his 81 years tells me he used to get lots of birds.

Still I suppose we should do all we can to attract them to our gardens,especially this time of year.

31/12/2008 05:59 PM	In reply to
Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347	Reply \| Contact Leaving some branches unpruned makes sense, Terra. I'll try to do that. My plants are tied to wires too, which does help to keep them tidy. RobK - it's surprising how many birds will come to feed in built up areas if we provide them with what they need. I'm sure you're right that numbers are lower than they used to be though. Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

31/12/2008 05:59 PM

In reply to

Phot's-Moll
Location:
The sunny South coast.
Joined on:
06 Jan 2007
Posts:
3,347

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Leaving some branches unpruned makes sense, Terra. I'll try to do that. My plants are tied to wires too, which does help to keep them tidy.

RobK - it's surprising how many birds will come to feed in built up areas if we provide them with what they need. I'm sure you're right that numbers are lower than they used to be though.

Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

31/12/2008 07:20 PM	In reply to
Pip Location: Sussex Joined on: 31 Dec 2008 Posts: 6	Reply \| Contact Since cutting back some branches that were blanketed in Ivy, the poor Blackbirds have been telling me off. I've now had to put shreded paper and other materials for them to live. I throw out some apple and cheese for them. The Robin''s enjoy that too. How do I stop squirrels invading the house and 'planting' their own garden...

31/12/2008 07:20 PM

In reply to

Pip
Location:
Sussex
Joined on:
31 Dec 2008
Posts:
6

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Since cutting back some branches that were blanketed in Ivy, the poor Blackbirds have been telling me off. I've now had to put shreded paper and other materials for them to live. I throw out some apple and cheese for them. The Robin''s enjoy that too.

How do I stop squirrels invading the house and 'planting' their own garden...

01/01/2009 03:28 PM	In reply to
Clematis Location: Biggar Joined on: 30 Jun 2008 Posts: 25	Reply \| Contact I haven't had any berries this year - am I doing something wrong? Didn't have any on the Holly either!!! Was it the weather - or did the birds get them before I saw them? Clematis

01/01/2009 03:28 PM

In reply to

Clematis
Location:
Biggar
Joined on:
30 Jun 2008
Posts:
25

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I haven't had any berries this year - am I doing something wrong? Didn't have any on the Holly either!!! Was it the weather - or did the birds get them before I saw them? Angry

Clematis

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