BIRDS ARE OUR FRIENDS!

Birds are your best friend if you want to garden organically.  If given the right habitat, birds will eat thousands of insects that will eventually become a problem in your garden.  Even Chickens will take care of tomato worms in the garden.  Of course, they will also take care of the tomatoes if you don’t keep an eye on them.  Having as many birds as possible calling your yard home is a good goal to have.  The best way to do that is by providing them with habitat.  Birds need food, water, a home and shelter.  The food and water are pretty self-explanatory.  Bird houses are great, along with bird houses though, birds like to have trees and other shrubs they can hide in.  A really good idea is to put a bird feeder next to a tree or a branchy shrub like a pussy willow.  Birds prefer not to eat at a feeder that is out in the middle of a yard.  They, of course, will if they have to but they would choose to have some protection.  The same goes with a waterer.  Set a bath under or next to something they can quickly fly into if they need some shelter.

Good example of bird feeder placement. Pussy willow and Corkscrew willow are shrubs in background.

Another idea to attract birds to your garden area is to throw in a few sunflowers along the perimeter of your garden.  By a few I mean like 3 to 5.  Because sunflowers are so large you can’t grow a row or they would block the sun from the garden.  Finches will jump from leaf to leaf as they scope out your garden bug situation.  Then in the fall leave your sunflowers sit through the winter so birds can come enjoy the seeds.  The next spring you will have to thin out sunflower seedlings.  If you do not have a garden yet and are still thinking about that perfect spot, keep the birds in mind.  You can’t plant a garden under a tree, but you can plant one by a tree as long as it won’t shade too much for example plant on the south side of a tree.  You also want to keep in mind the trees root system.  Don’t plant so close that you will be digging up roots when planting your veggies.

Those are just a few thoughts on birds to get us thinking about our gardens and gardening goals for the coming growing season.  If you have any other tips or thoughts on birds please don’t hesitate to share with us.

Fourth Generation Farm Wife,

Becky