Bird Friendly Gardens

Bird Friendly Gardening

Tom Ingram: Ask a Master Gardener

Sunday, April 26

Q: Since I have been spending more time at home, I really enjoy watching the birds in my garden. What can I do to encourage more birds to visit? BG

A: Bird watching is great fun, and with time and some internet searching, it’s fun to learn all the different varieties that pay you a visit. However, birds are not only fun to watch, but also they provide a valuable resource in helping to control insects, so it’s a win-win.

Birds are like most of us when it gets down to it (and we have been reminded of this lately). Their primary needs are food, water and shelter. So, let’s look at each of these.

You can encourage birds to visit your garden by being sure there is something for them to eat. The easy way to do this is to add a bird feeder to your yard. To attract a variety of birds, fill your feeder with a seed mix that includes large and small seeds. Some birds, such as finches, will search out a specific type of seed. So if you want finches in your yard, you will need to get a feeder that is built for thistle.

However, you can transition from a feeder to a natural source of food by planting fruit or seed-bearing plants. Sunflowers are the first that come to mind. Tomatoes are another one if you are willing to share your tomatoes with the birds.

Some flowers are beautiful, like forsythia or lilac. However, they do not provide any food. Instead, for your bird sanctuary, you might want to consider a holly, whose berries are always a bird favorite.

Keeping your lawn healthy and vibrant is another attractor to birds in that healthy lawns encourage worms, and robins, mockingbirds and flickers all love worms.

Water is important for birds, just like humans. Typically, we think of a bird bath as a water source; however, water features, such as fountains, are also appropriate if they have a shallow area of no more than 2 inches. If you do have a bird bath, be sure to place a small rock in there to give them a place to stand. And remember, a standalone bird bath will need to be washed out every three to four days and disinfected with bleach once or twice a year.

There are a variety of ways to provide shelter for birds. Broken branches in a pile will attract cardinals, wrens, towhees and sparrows. Trees and shrubs with dense branches, leaves or perhaps thorns will also provide excellent shelter.

Plants such as honeysuckle or grapes are a double win in that they not only provide a food source but can also be used as shelter.

Vines on fences are also prime real estate for food, nesting and shelter. Clematis, honeysuckle and grapes would fit in this category.

One thing to remember if you install a bird feeder or bird bath is to place it at least 10 feet away from other trees or shrubs because birds are lower on the food chain than some of the other creatures that visit your yards.

Building a bird house is another topic, and you can find information on this and more on gardening for birds in a great fact sheet from OSU on landscaping for birds. You will find a link to it in the Hot Topics section of our website.

Good luck and stay safe out there!

Garden tips

·        Lace bugs, aphids, spider mites, bagworms, etc. can start popping up in the landscape and garden later this month. Keep a close eye on all plants and use mechanical, cultural and biological control options first.

·        Remove any winter-damaged branches or plants that have not begun to grow. Prune spring-flowering plants as soon as they are finished blooming.

·        Proper watering of newly planted trees and shrubs often means the difference between success and replacement