A birdseed garden

Last year a bumper crop of sunflowers sprouted from seed I hadn't sown. Mostly they came from the black oil or striped sunflower seeds the birds dropped or scattered the previous winter. I enjoyed the blooms so much, I decided to add some different shapes and colors this spring.

Nothing could be easier than sunflowers as proven by the outstanding plants the birds grew. Really, if birds can grow sunflowers, anyone can. I remember a few years ago sunflowers were growing in the soybean fields around me (again courtesy of the birds). It was quite a site, this sea of beans with the occasional sunflower sticking up several feet taller;) The farmer who leased that field wasn't as aggressive with herbicides as the current one.

Sunflowers are somewhat drought tolerant which appeals to me. It's pretty much a plant 'em and forget 'em style. Sometimes the very tall ones lean to the point they need staking but the shorter ones stand up pretty well on their own. Sunflowers are tender annuals so they won't tolerate cold weather. I wait until the soil warms and there is no chance of frost before planting them outside. (The birds haven't read that rule and their sunflowers grow anyway;)

The bees love sunflowers, unless you get one of the pollen free hybrids. Later in the summer the goldfinches perch on the dried blooms trying to find the first ripe seeds.

This spring I'm sure the birds will plant another garden of sunflower. I'll leave most of them to grow and bloom. I hope they like these new hybrids I have chosen.

I chose a mix of seeds like this (from Park Seeds - Van Gogh Mix). Blooms are singles and doubles from 5 to 10 inches in across. These plants are all around 5-feet tall so they will give height to the garden.

These Jewel Toned red, gold and bronze are from Parks Seed also. The plants are 6 to 10 feet tall so stake them well or they may fall.


If you haven't a good spot for the tall ones, Parks Solar Babies Mix is only one to two feet tall.

With any of these sunflowers , succession-plant every two weeks to enjoy blooms over a long period.

A note for anyone interested in wild birds. Monday afternoon I found a Goldfinch sitting on the lane into my farm. It appeared to be stunned altho I don't know why or how. It allowed me to pick it up and only struggled weakly as I held it.

I carried it home and put it into an old bird cage with plenty of food and water. It remained huddled on the cage floor for about 3 hours never moving. I didn't expect it to survive the night but thought at least it would be warm (outside temperature in the teens).

It relaxed a little as time passed and finally put its head under a wing and seemed to be sleeping. The following morning it was quiet but alive. That afternoon it was more active.

I'm hopeful it will recover but now I have a problem. It is illegal for me to have this bird. In fact I was breaking the law by even picking it up. I hope to find a licensed rehabber to keep it for a while. It's impossible for me to diagnose it, it may not be able to fly or have some injury. I think setting it free would be a mistake.

If anyone else has had a similar experience, please let me know your solution.

Articel by Roses and Lilacs

wild bird seed

Author: BeautifulGarden


When you have lots of birds flying around your house, you can set up a bird feeder in your garden. You will soon see more of them hovering around the feeder. But you need to make sure that you give them the right food. Don’t just give them any kind of nuts or seeds that might be harmful to them.

You need to get wild bird seed of the finest quality so the birds will continue to come and feed. You can easily find a lot of brands and mixes of bird food that are nutritious for them. Then you can buy a bird house for your frequent guests so they can have a home near the feeder. Then maybe you can add a birdbath as well.

Grow Your Own Birdseed

Use these 10 plants to bring more feathered friends into your backyard.

By Stacy Tornio, Managing Editor


Plants have a lot more to offer than just beautiful flowers. Why not get the most out of your garden by growing plants with multiple benefits? Here, you'll find 10 great blooms that offer seeds for birds.

Autumn Joy sedum (Sedum 'Autumn Joy', Zones 3 to 9)

Just when your other plants start to fade, Autumn Joy sedum will take the spotlight with its star-shaped blooms. Grow in full sun to light shade until the first frost.

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia, Zones 3 to 9)

This is another garden classic birds adore. The traditional black-eyed Susan has dark centers and bright-yellow flowers, but now there are even more varieties to choose from. Grow in full sun to light shade for blooms in summer through autumn.

Blazing star (Liatris species, Zones 3 to 9)

Many gardeners know this plant as gayfeather. Don't be surprised when you see an American goldfinch gripping the purple spikes of this flower head. It grows up to 5 feet in full to partial sun and blooms in summer.

Coreopsis (Coreopsis, hardiness varies by variety)

It's not hard to find an annual or perennial coreopsis (also called tickseed) that will flourish in your yard. Plant in full sun and resist the urge to overwater, as it's a drought-tolerant superstar that blooms in late spring through late summer.

Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus, annual)

With its gorgeous daisy-shaped blooms, this low-maintenance beauty seems too good to be true. Grow single or double blooms in full sun, and you'll have flowers (and seeds to offer feathered friends) from summer through late fall.

Goldenrod (Solidago species, Zones 3 to 9)

All it takes is a few goldenrod plants to light up your garden in late summer and fall. Plant in full sun for best results. Deadhead the flowers to promote continued blooming, which in turn offers an ongoing food source for birds.

Mexican sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia, annual)

The vibrant, orange flower heads of Mexican sunflower will make a bold statement in any garden. Often mistaken for a zinnia, this sun- and heat-loving plant definitely holds its own when it comes to attracting birds.

Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea, Zones 3 to 9)

Birds will feast on the cones of this backyard favorite. New varieties offer a wide range of colors, including purple, pink, white, yellow and orange. Plant in full sun for great results midsummer to early fall.

Purple majesty millet (Pennisetum glaucum 'Purple Majesty', annual)

It's relatively new to the plant world, but birds have caught on fast! The plant itself is 4 to 5 feet tall, while the flower stalk offers another foot of delectable goodies for birds. Grow in sun or shade to get amazing foliage from spring to fall.

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus, annual)

You can't expect to grow your own seed without this classic bird magnet. There are plenty of varieties to choose from, including cultivars that range from 2 to 15 feet tall and colors from yellow to red. Grow in full sun for summer and fall.

Why Feed Nyjer seed?

by duncraft.com


Nyjer SeedExactly what is Nyjer seed? Nyjer seed that we feed to the birds comes from a flower that looks very much like a yellow daisy and is grown primarily in Ethiopia and India. Although Nyjer is sometimes called “thistle”, it is definitely not related to the invasive and prickly thistle plants found in the US. Nyjer is heat treated when it enters the US, so it can’t germinate and grow in your yard.

Finches, such as Goldfinches, Redpolls and Pine Siskins love Nyjer seed! That’s because their bills are adapted to cracking very small seeds, like the wild thistle seeds they also eat. And they love it because it’s nutritious and very high in oil content. If you serve Nyjer, you will have lots and lots of finches—they just can’t resist it! Chickadees, Juncos, Purple finches and House Finches are known to eat Nyjer, too.
You can mix Nyjer seed with seed blends and feed it from a tube feeder or platform feeder. But if you want to serve it alone, you’ll need to use a Nyjer feeder—a feeder that has very small feeding ports so the seed won’t fall out. Squirrels won’t often go after Nyjer feeders, but with Duncraft’s Squirrel Buster Finch Feeder you can be sure your Nyjer seed is safe for the birds only! Finches also love eating Nyjer from special, soft mesh Nyjer stockings.

You’ll most likely have Redpolls and Pine Siskins only in winter. But if you feed Nyjer year round, you’ll have the pleasure of watching Goldfinches change their plumage in the spring and turn from a cute and cheerful brown bird to a glorious lemony beauty. And your Goldfinches will stay all summer long—brightening your days with color and song!

Wild Bird Seed Recall

Recall -- Firm Press Release

FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

Ongoing Issues Regarding Peanut Corporation of America Result in Scotts Voluntarily Recalling Five Wild Bird Food Suet Products That May Contain PCA Peanut Meal
Contact:Jim KingSenior Vice President, Corporate Affairs(937) 578-5622

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Marysville, Ohio -- February 16, 2009 -- The Scotts Company LLC announced today that it is voluntarily recalling specific lots of five varieties of suet wild bird food products after learning those products may contain peanut meal purchased from the Peanut Corporation of America's (PCA) plant in Blakely, Georgia, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

Salmonella can affect animals and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated bird seed and/or pet food products. People handling wild bird food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the product or any surfaces exposed to these products. Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Scotts ("the Company") has requested that its retailers, distributors and sub-distributors recall the affected products, using proper recall notifications, and remove these products from retail shelves or warehouses, and return them to the Company. In addition, the Company also is requesting that those parties that sell the affected products to consumers not only advise those consumers of the recall, but also tell them to throw the product away, avoid touching unsealed product with bare hands, and wash their hands thoroughly after touching unsealed product.
Scotts has not received any reports of illness involving its products that may contain the PCA peanut meal, and it is no longer using any products from the Blakely facility. Nonetheless, as a precautionary measure, Scotts is recalling the following five products with the specific manufacturing date codes below that were manufactured between December 27, 2008 and January 17, 2009: