Talkback: Growing fruit for birds - Talkback

oldchippy

23/11/2012 at 16:54

Kate if you grow all of these fruiting trees you will end up making ketchup or jelly from the fruit and there would not be any for the birds,maybe planting vertically is the answer growing up on raised beds like a ladder.you may be able to grow as many plants as you could fit in. Oldchippy.

nutcutlet

23/11/2012 at 17:21

I thought all the fruit I grow was for the birds. I'd have to be quick to beat them

flowering rose

24/11/2012 at 11:33

I think you will find that there will be plenty of fruit for birds ,not only will they peck at the fruit you have not picked but all the fallen fruit and with all those bird feeding stations and left overs,I don't think they are going to go short.

oldchippy

26/11/2012 at 12:47

Hi Kate just been clearing the leaves from the grass and noticed there don't seem to be many berries on my cotoneaster this year and the wood pigeons have all but stripped the pyracantha of it's berries ,so not much left for any in coming birds from the continent ,the callicarpa has alot of purple berries this year thanks to a good prune,and the daffs are about 35 mm out of the ground already must be a good sign ,Oldchippy.

thetuna

28/11/2012 at 15:30

I'm hoping someone can give me some advice... I want to plant a hedgerow all around my front garden but I'm worried that people walking their dogs letting them urinate which will kill the plants or do damage while they're growing and establishing themselves.

Is there anything I could do to help the plants grow strong or do I not have to worry about this happening as hedging is more robust than I think it to be?

Any advice and tips would be Gratefully received.

Steven

thetuna

28/11/2012 at 15:37

Also, one more thing I wanted to ask. I love putting out loads of different foods for the birds but have noticed the last year or so that wood pigeons are clearing out the food from the table as quickly as I'm putting it out. They've even started to attacking the hanging feeders knocking the foods from them onto the ground.

Would it be safe to build a meshing cage around my bird feeders and the table(more so the table) to stop the pigeons? If so what size gap on the mesh would you all recommend that can allow the smaller birds to feed but stop the greedy pigeons.

Marinelilium

28/11/2012 at 19:08

I sympathise thetuna. Nesting boxes for birds have different size apertures for each species so check what RSPB site recommends for nest box holes and that should help with mesh size choice.

I had to move seeds and fat balls from the feeder post to the dense, tangled branches of my Salix Caprea x Kilmarnock. The wood pigeons, it seems, cannot weave through the tangle but robins, nuthatches and all the different tit families love the cover. Even blackbirds shimmy through.

Squirrels are still the greediest and most persistent visitor but my dog really loves chasing them off - keeps him amused all afternoon.

Marinelilium

28/11/2012 at 19:16

PS 20 gauge chicken wire is 25mm aperture which is ok for tits, dunno is and robins. A supermarket basket is ok as long as you BUY one.

thetuna

29/11/2012 at 12:23

Thanks for the reply Marinelilium. I shall pop down to my local DIY store the and see what Ideas I can come up with to helping the lil birds, especially now the cold snap is upon us.

Marion Round

30/11/2012 at 15:16

Have seen our first sighting of Waxwings today on our Pale Pink Sorbus tree

cassie

09/12/2012 at 16:10

Would it be possible to plant a crab apple in a large container?

BobTheGardener

09/12/2012 at 16:31

Hi Cassie, Yes, but go for a dwarf crab apple tree (that is one grafted to a dwarfing rootsock - M27 is best for containers.) You probably want a 2 foot (60cm) diameter or larger container for best results.

GeorgeUK

10/12/2012 at 16:26

Many people fail to realise that in many cases where birds, including some migrant birds, depend upon a good berry resource for them to forage. The fruits, berries etc are pollinated in many cases by wild bees... http://bit.ly/SGSk32
George Pilkington

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