Being a gardener makes for an easy time for family and friends with Christmas presents in mind. I'd say 75% of my gifts this year were garden-related, including this very fine watering can (for the garden - too nickable to go on the allotment) and a very groovy and compact plug plant trainer that's already been sown with some red baron onion seeds and (optimistically) some lettuce.
I also got a pole-mounted bird feeder that I braved the snow to set up in the garden today. I keep checking for customers but no sightings so far. I wonder how long it takes for birds to spot a peanut feeder and home in on it? Are they nervous at first? Can they smell the nuts? Despite being a YOC member in my youth, I have no idea and am hoping a budding Bill Oddie (or maybe even the man himself) can help me out ...
And I have a serious question for you about blight on tomatoes and potatoes, in relation to "the book". I've never experienced it but I am curious as to how much it impacts on allotmenteers and organic gardeners. Have your potatoes and tomatoes suffered from it? How do you treat it? Is it the worst disease you face? Answers on a virtual postcard please ...
I've got two pole feeders in my garden, both attracting plenty of interest. I think it took a few days to get the first customers, but now they are really busy. We had our first fleeting woodpecker sighting today on the feeders. My tips for maximum number of customers and maximum viewing pleasure:
1. Different birds like different things, so two or more feeders is a good idea. I have one pole feeder with sunflower seeds in it, and one 'shepherd's crook' pole that supports two feeders - one with mixed wild bird seed and one with peanuts. The peanut one seems to be the least popular.
2. I had better results with the feeders positioned to one side of the garden, rather than in the middle - closer to shrubs and bushes for the birds to hop in and out of.
3. I also put food on the ground for the birds that can't feed from feeders, such as blackbirds and robins.
4. My seed feeder came with different sized perches - so I use two of each of the two sizes to encourage different types of birds.
I think you'll see plenty of visitors start to arrive any day...and once they get to know the food is there, they'll be back every day...we see most first thing in the morning and then for the hour before sunset in the afternoon. I also decided to put the poles right in front of the sitting room window in the front garden, so we could see what was happening and also be reminded to keep the feeders filled up - I'd definitely recommend that if you have a front garden. Previously, we'd fed them a long way down the back garden, and never really knew how successful it was.
Good luck with your feeder.
Posted by: Annette | December 31, 2005 at 04:54 PM