[TheBirdGarden]

I am considering buying some teasel seeds for the garden because the 'book' says its good for birds, especially goldfinches. The problem is though, I totally suck at gardening and I even failed encouraging dandelions to grow when I sprinkled them across the soil.

Can I firstly put them in those mini tray things and put them on the windowsill to get them to first establish then plant them in the garden? You might have guessed that I am not really a gardener but its something I would like to know!

Thanks

[Marmot]

My answer is dont bother unless you can keep them away from your garden grass/borders.
I got one about 6 years ago it was a small plant from a market stall and it grew to about 2 to 3 ft tall and had a few teasel heads on it....the Goldfinch hardly ever bother with them....I had it for about 2 years, then one day it was windy, the teasel they are not deep rooted it blew over into the borders and garden, weeks later I had teasels growing all over the borders and grass, I ended up pulling over 100 plants that the seedheads had scattered...even now the odd one still shows up.

So unless you are going to grow it in a pot on a patio dont bother.

[TheBirdGarden]

Thanks Marmot, I'll keep that in mind I just want the garden looking less um man made and if I plant any more tree I don't think I would ever see the sun again unless I get rid of the top floor of the house

[Monahawk]

Yes, Marmot is right, teasel does seed itself all over the place so if your garden is relatively small or you like some semblance of tidiness and order about the place then this herb is not for you unless you are prepared to do a bit of refereeing now and then.
I fortunately have a large garden with a couple of wild patches about the place so I let teasel do as it pleases. Not only is it good for goldfinches but bees love it too when it is in flower.

Si.

[Cleme]

There are plenty of wildflower species you can plant, too, which bees and birds will go for.

Buddleja (buddleia) will attract all sorts of butterflies but it can be a menace if it gets out of control. Good luck!

A nyger seed feeder is probably the easiest way to attract goldfinches, though if you get a flock of 10+ you'll be spending a bit on the seeds each week! Worth it, though...

[TheBirdGarden]

Thanks for the replies.

Considering them spreading, I am quite happy for them to grow on the grass I also encourage weeds to grow but for some reason when you try to encourage them they don't seem to wanna grow (stubborn plants) and a way to cut them down could be to release the rabbit and guinea pigs on the lawn in the summer. I am not too sure if they like it or not and they will know if they were poisonous to them. The concern of spreading is that will they battle with the other plants? I got (dead looking) berry bearing plants. One raspberry one blackberry and I really want these to get going would the teasels fight for this space?

I have a nyjer feeder and last year it attracted two goldfinches which quickly turned their heads to the sunflower hearts and left the nyjer to go to waste. I just want natural growing food for them which would be beneficial for alot of animals.

I only started wildlife gardening two years ago before that I was a hardcore gamer so as much help is appreciated.....Please

[Cleme]

I just looked back at the summer 2010 issue of the BTO magazine and someone had success with chicory plants attracting goldfinches.

Perhaps the answer with nyger versus sunflower hearts is to put out black sunflowers instead.

Greenfinches like these and, as they shell and eat them, there are left over bits for chaffinches to mop up.

The goldfinches will not be interested in the sunflowers in their husks - which are cheaper than the hearts too - so will eat the nygers, which the other birds are not very interested in.

The result is a minimum of two feeders attracting a wider selection of birds.

I know you want naturally growing food and, yes, this is a great idea but I doubt you can grow enough in a town garden to feed birds all year round.

I would be working on the basis that you'll be saving the best of what you've got, removing some of the dead plants to make way for new ones (though leave a few 'dead' corners if you can as the blackbirds, robins and wrens will find insects and shelter there) and having a couple of feeders on the go.

Topping up feeders does cost money (and they need cleaning now and again) but you can buy seed online to save a fair bit of cash.

We mainly use http://www.vinehousefarm.co.uk/ as they support the Wildlife Trusts but are not as expensive as the RSPB seeds, grow most of their seeds and the quality and delivery service is great.

You'll probably give more to a good cause by buying RSPB products but that's a judgement only you can make!

[TheBirdGarden]

Perhaps I should have made my situation more clearly even though I appreciate your time and effort to type it out.

I do have a variety of food out for the birds already. I got two feeding station poles, the one has two feeders full of mixed seed and a feeder for the fat balls (RSPB fat balls also) the other has a feeder full of nyjer seed, one for sunflower hears and another full off black sunflower seeds. I also have a bird table (sheltered) for the smaller birds even though the doves still seem to manage to get under it and on the table stand to brackets hang off with a feeder full of suet pellet and the other with a suet block.

The reason for wanting to grow teasel comes from the reasoning that "wouldn't you prefer to eat fresh fruit rather than dry muesli?" It is the idea of fresh things and variety I want to give to the birds and I know they travel to other gardens but I just want to give them variety.

I have worked really hard on making the elders garden wildlife friendly and it has costed me quite a bit of money which I have funded via selling some of my things. The things I have done are:

--Lifted up half the concrete and replaced with grass (not looking so good being it has snowed two years in a row of planting it!)
--A Pond (also not looking so good due to it been iced over since I have had it)
--A log pile (which is looking pretty fantastic the combination of logs, rocks and leaves look promising for rich insect life!)

I even got a water butt to recycle water....I have probably gone way off my own topic but it is my situation that I am in. I just want more natural things so I can maybe see them naturally....anything else to help please. Any plants (not the buddelia it gets too big) or any thing else would be appreciated. Also how fast do teasels grow?

[turkish van]

Originally Posted by TheBirdGarden

Any plants (not the buddelia it gets too big) or any thing else would be appreciated. Also how fast do teasels grow?

I may as well add something though I've very limited knowledge!

I can't think of many additional small plants to what you already have that will provide food for birds - except a dog rose, which will attract insects and some birds will eat the rose hips over the winter months. If you have walls or fences maybe get some native climbers, a bit of ivy, honeysuckle, wild clematis etc will bring in more insects and provide shelter for the birds. Once your grass gets going, let some of it grow long and flower.

Teasels grow fast and get big - 7 foot in a season easily, big leaves, a few flower heads. They are maybe worthwhile if you have a lot of space, but I would say in a small area there are other plants you could use the space for which would be far more beneficial.

Apart from that I think, from the sounds of it, you are already making the best of what you have - log piles, wild areas, fruit bushes, a pond, plenty of flowers and bird feeders - if every little (and large!) garden had all those I daresay our wildlife would be a lot better off.

[Cleme]

Yes, you are doing a good job already... ivy will be useful for harbouring small insects but don't let it get near brick or stone work as it will pull it apart.

Broom harbours aphids which whitethroat and wrens like. It's quite attractive and isn't as rampant as the buddleja (buddleia).

Cotoneaster is a good berry bearing plant - redwings, fieldfares and waxwings love those berries in the winter. I don't think it grows too fast, either.

[TheBirdGarden]

Thank you both for the replies. I will take a look at those recommendations. Concerning Ivy I have thought about it before but like you said make sure you don't grow it on brick work but the walls separating the gardens are made of brick. Even that said Ivy has grown very thick next door (the owner passed away) and even with new owners moved in the Ivy has been left to grow and has taken up most of the wall dividing the two gardens (my garden is like an L shape)

[Cleme]

Originally Posted by TheBirdGarden

Thank you both for the replies. I will take a look at those recommendations. Concerning Ivy I have thought about it before but like you said make sure you don't grow it on brick work but the walls separating the gardens are made of brick. Even that said Ivy has grown very thick next door (the owner passed away) and even with new owners moved in the Ivy has been left to grow and has taken up most of the wall dividing the two gardens (my garden is like an L shape)

More than enough ivy then! We're thinking of mixed meadow flower beds, which should encourage bees and other insects and some hawthorn/hornbeam hedging, which could help provide nesting spots.

[Cleme]

Originally Posted by Cleme

The goldfinches will not be interested in the sunflowers in their husks - which are cheaper than the hearts too - so will eat the nygers, which the other birds are not very interested in.

The result is a minimum of two feeders attracting a wider selection of birds.

Ha, we just saw one or two goldfinches attacking the black sunflower seeds with enthusiasm over much of the morning while a nyger seed feeder was a few yards away... so my theory is disproved.