Birdseed adds to the garden
I have a number of bird feeders in the garden and during the summer I use a basic seed mix, leaving the better quality (and more expensive) seed for later in the year when winter approaches.
Bird feeder
Oddly enough the birds do not appreciate this and spend half their time throwing the “rubbish” seed onto the ground in their search for choice sunflower seeds. This results in a lot of mysterious mixed greenery at the foot of the feeders and in the borders nearby.
Mysterious greenery
The grasses can be quite pretty but I would not want them seeding everywhere – that way lies chaos and swamped plants!
Unknown grass
Another unknown
Most of it I pull up. But occasionally there is a pleasant surprise. The birds must have dropped some of the Sunflower seeds.
Sunflowers
And I get the benefit.
Sunflower
Once the seeds develop on the flower, the birds will have another feeding station…..and the circle of life will continue.
11 comments
I do think the birds are a bit fussy at times 0 our seem to throw away 20 seeds for every one they eat.
But the worst is the niger – I have a lovely crop of niger plants now.
Cool sunflower you have there!
K
Oh, what a lovely sunflower surprise! Looks like your third mystery plant could be millet. I had to retire my bird feeders here. The spilled seed attracted too many vole and mice, and our Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned hawks were picking the song-birds off the feeders! Instead I have to be content landscaping with plants the birds enjoy, where at least they have some protective cover while they eat. I do miss having feeders though.
I have the same problem with my birds too so I positioned my feeders over the lawn areas and not near my garden beds. Pretty volunteer Sunflowers you have there, the squirrels never let mine get to that stage, grrrr…. :)
I noticed my wild birds throwing the trash seed around too. They are picky ones aren’t they?? The sunflowers are gorgeous-so nice of the birds to plant them for you and for them too.
You’ve convinced me to get a seed feeder now – have not wanted the trouble of weeding underneath it but it’s still better than the oily flakes deposited from the peanut feeders
Laura
p.s. do you have mice on your feeders – I have a plague of them
Lovely sunflowers! Aren’t you glad they chose to discard them?! One could do without all the unknown grass though.
Hi Denise, I believe the birds are gourmets, preferring the higher in essential oils sunflowers. How sweet of them to plant a few for you to enjoy, and for them to devour later! I love your mystery grasses, we get those as well. A mass planting of all the same type would look good, rather than the mix, if only we could get seed of that one type. Maybe save it from the surprise volunteer? :-)
Ours scatter seed all over the verandah. The Ungardener says it is their wings, like a helicopter on take-off and landing. Working on the bird house/feeder which stands in the garden, where bird weeds are simply added to garden wildflowers. Waiting for the rain daisies to open now.
Now if you could only train them to do a bit of weeding they would be the perfect visitor :) Your post has reminded me that it’s time to top up on supplies.
Mmm – we have the same problem the seeds even create a green carpet on the concrete path if we miss sweeping up and the weather is wet.
We’ve always enjoyed the little surprises we get beneath the bird feeders. My mother-in-law, however, gets a little frustrated because she has some inventive squirrels that raid her bird feeders all the time. They spill much more of the seed on the ground. She then has to go muck it back up, then later, the same scene repeats itself.
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