Saturday, March 8, 2008

Grow your own bird seed

With spring in the wings, it's time to think of growing things! If you like to feed birds year 'round, you can grow your own birdseed. Just how much of a dent you can make in the birdseed budget depends on how much room you devote to it, but even a couple of square feet will yield a worthwhile crop. Plant whatever seeds you feed the birds and you'll have the right ones. Whether it's millet, safflower, sunflower or any of a dozen more types, you can grow it densely, seeding a small area generously. Keep birds away until they've germinated by covering with screen, or start them indoors in clumps.

You can harvest the seeds when they're ripe and store them for winter days, or leave them on the plant and the birds will find them.

4 comments:

Sharon J said...

Excellent idea! I'm guessing I could grow some in pots so if I'm well enough soon enough, I'll do just that and leave them there for the birds to find themselves. I'm sure it'll be fun watching them through the kitchen window :)

Pat said...

I've never grown them in pots, but I don't see why not. Enjoy. :)

Anonymous said...

I have been enjoying watching female painted buntings feeding naturally on the mature seed heads that grew from store bought bird seed. Procrastination is not always a bad thing.:-) I'm glad I kept putting off chopping those "weeds" down.

Pat said...

Now, where do you think I got the idea? :)