Talkback: Garden birds and poppies

Gardeners' World Web User

What a wonderful memory, James.

We've put up feeders and are always excited to see something new come to visit. We recently had both Indigo Finches and an American Golden Finch start coming around.

Still haven't gotten them to eat from my hand though.

Might be a good idea for those who feed the birds from feeders to make sure they sanitize feeders and watering containers as Avian Flu is really getting bad...

Happy Gardening!

Gardeners' World Web User

I never buy biscuits in August but eat Sungold tomatoes off the vine and plums and Pearmains off the trees instead, James. Much better for the waistline and to keep September colds at bay After my landscapers finished my new path there was a lot of shifting about of top soil in my garden and myriads of poppy seeds have germinated. Quite beautiful and being left to do their own thing. So I too may have Smartie dispensers for the tits next year. must make some poppy seed sour dough baguettes though.

Gardeners' World Web User

Are you sure you're not the host to a subversive group of opium eating blue tits. Do the birds show any marked preference for those rather blousy purple ones ? I'd always been told (although probably mischeivously) that they were escapees from illicit farming ventures.

Gardeners' World Web User

ive been trying for months to get my lovely garden robin to eat from my hand...he now get very close to me,i put seed in my hand and put it out to him or her ...i think he/she wants to and he goes to jump but always changes its mind,,however i think if i put LIVE mealworms in my palm i reckon he will eat out of hand but i dont like touching worms [yuk].
any ideas people?

Gardeners' World Web User

What is the best way to get plants to grow from poppy seeds, just broadcast them or sow them in trays and then replant ? When is the best time to do this ?

Steve
Lyon,France

Gardeners' World Web User

it depends some self seed and some you will need to propergate..oriental poppies you need to propergate,in a gritty mix,sow now in greenhouse ready for outdoors next year....

Gardeners' World Web User

I love watching the birds in my garden but I dont seem to have many at the moment. Up until recently the garden has been full of birds. Ive got a few sparrows and some blue tits but thats all. They eat all my bugs on the plant, I love them.

Gardeners' World Web User

This year I have grown a lot of perennials from seed but they are still quite small, what do I do plant them out in the autumn or keep them in a cold frame or cold greenhouse until spring?

Gardeners' World Web User

It's funny the things that like you and the things that don't! Some 40 years ago in London I bought seed of the double pink opium poppy 'Pink Chiffon! It found its way to Cornwall when we moved, presumably in the compost of some of the things I brought with me. It has now lived with me here for over 30 years. As soon as the soil is disturbed anywhere, up it comes. Yet I can't establish any of the other double flowered opium poppy variants, despite generously scattering the seed.
And no, the blue tits don't seem to attack our seed heads, too busy with the seed feeders I guess, nor do any of the other tit species, coal, great, or long-tailed who visit us!
By the way does anyone know why my blue tits sport black rather than blue caps? I've noticed this for two years now. And, no, they are not blackcaps which also visit the garden in the spring.

Gardeners' World Web User

i think barnwellbrian the birds in question are great-tits which have a darker cap,
blue-tits have a much lighter cap on there head,i also think blu-tit birds are smaller in size than great-tits...
great-tits have a sharper face[if that makes sence].....

Gardeners' World Web User

I can't seem to get poppy seeds to germinate in my garden though I have tried for the last three years.