Grow Your Own Magazine

Can anyone help me I have just had to change my hanging baskets for the second time at the birds have ate all the others. The have managed to demolish four so far. What is it that they can't resist. We have changed the lining, the compost and feed. If it is the plants then what can I use?

What did you plant in them? Did they eat the plants or pull them out? What kind of lining did you use?

I'll put my thinking cap on!!!

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Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result

Just the normal ones that look like very fine straw. Yes we understand that they probably used them for nesting. But the literally destroyed the plants and we didn't find them strewn about the ground.

Well, you'll have to be a bit smarter with your lining material. I always use old compost bags, turned black side out. Work really well, they retain water better than yer posh straw linings too.

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

Which birds is it that are doing it ?

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

I've got the same problem and I'm sure it's not the lining they are after. They do strip the linings of the mossy ones or similar but these are sort of woven twigs and they just keeping pulling out the plants.

I can't work out what they are after and what birds are doing it.

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Off to China

We have much the same problem each year. I think you'll find that the culprits are the juvenile blackbirds.

We jokingly refer to it as them 'learning what their beaks are for'.

They peck plants out of seed trays, labels from anywhere they find them.

It is a bit irritaing, but it would be a very sad world without the birds

valmarg