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Birds love hanging baskets

Steve 16Steve 16 Posts: 3
in Problem solving

I enjoy my hanging baskets, but so do the Sparrows, they seem to use whatever liner I use for their nests.

I've tried coco matting, re cycled fabric, cardboard and their particular favourite, Moss.

It has been suggested that I try weaving conifer cuttings twixt the wire frame, and this seems like a good idea, but in practice I recall hearing that conifers are not good for the tender plants.

If anyone has ideas I would be very interested to hear them.

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Posts

  • pansyfacepansyface Posts: 22,309

    Maybe just take comfort that you still have sparrows. Their numbers have declined by 70% over the last 30 years or so.image

    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
    If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
  • Victoria SpongeVictoria Sponge Posts: 3,502

    Jackdaws (mostly) wrecked my basket fuzz.

    Still got the shapeless remains and am contemplating stuffing them into a Haynet and hanging it on the fence. I reckon they'll be equally likely to pull chunks out of that.

    Not much help, sorryimage

    Wearside, England.
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,260

    I had wrens make a nest in one, one winter. It was by the back door. Every time the back door opened, they would try and get into the warm kitchen. I didn't dare move it until Spring in case they couldn't find it and froze to death.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,097

    I spent one happy spring at work watching blackbirds pulling coir from the liners in the manger-type baskets on the wall opposite my desk - every year I mean to buy some coir liners just to put out for the birds to use.

    I'll get some next time I go to the garden centre.

    Steve, have a couple of spare liners especially for the birds and fix them to a fence or somewhere in a quiet corner where it doesn't matter - maybe they'll use them instead of the ones you're using image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • LoganLogan Posts: 2,532
    I had that trouble with sparrows I use a compost bag liner it gets covered by the plants image
  • Mark56Mark56 Posts: 1,653

    Tie CD discs with string from your baskets so they are facing the light and shimmer in the sun. Worked a treat last year. 

  • CottageGardenFlowerLadyCottageGardenFlowerLady Posts: 53

    If you have some pets then collect together their fur and hang it elsewhere for them to happily steal...or add contents of a hairbrush or cotton wool or similar. Wont guarantee they wont take your other liners as well but worth a try. Also my roof and driveway are covered in moss cos of the wet winter...they might like that image

  • LandlubberLandlubber Posts: 396

    put poythene liner in with a few holes punched through - works fer meimage

  • Steve 16Steve 16 Posts: 3

    Many thanks to all who responded.

    There are some great ideas to get started on.

    It looks like experimentation is the key for this year.

  • Studiofifty4Studiofifty4 Posts: 1
    Hi,
         If your hanging basket has a coco lining and you dont want the lining to be pulled to pieces by birds,try a carpet adhesive (can buy it in spray cans) Spray on the outside of the coco lining,(this can be completed when you have hung your basket with plants in situ, or alternatively you can do prior to putting compost and plants in). The adhesive will dry and go hard and the birds are not be able to pick the coco fibres out and will go somewhere else to get their nesting material. This has worked for me so far with small birds and larger birds such as magpies.
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