Pacific Northwest Garden Forum: birds eating corn seed sprouts

Author

Message

Joy C
Rainy Side Gardener

Joined: Feb-10-2009
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posts: 288

Topic: birds eating corn seed sprouts
Posted: Jun-20-2010 at 2:45pm

Does anyone have a fail safe method for preventing birds from eating the corn seeds from the newly sprouted corn? We used to have cats who babysat the corn, but in the new neighborhood, there are far fewer outside cats. It annoys me when I see the green sprouts lying 2 inches away from there planting site and the hole is empty and there are still black sunflower seeds in the feeder!

Joy

IP Logged

DebbieTT
Admin Group

Sunset zone 5, USDA zone 8

Joined: Jan-25-2003
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posts: 4306

Posted: Jun-20-2010 at 3:00pm

Cover it with remay or a cage until they are well rooted.

When the going gets tough, the tough need a hug.

IP Logged

SusanLayne
Rainy Side Gardener

Joined: Dec-12-2009
Location: Oregon, Western Cascade Foothills
Posts: 74

Posted: Jun-20-2010 at 3:02pm

Same with beans. Birds love young bean plants.

See our farm blog, the Shambles Under Highland Butte: http://skepweaver.wordpress.com

IP Logged

gary
Rainy Side Gardener

Joined: Jul-26-2003
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posts: 1025

Posted: Jun-21-2010 at 4:08am

The main culprits are crows and jays. Both can be taught to be cautious if not even avoid your yard.

And you don't have to go as far as a friend did twenty years ago when he hung a dead crow on one of his pear trees. A few slingshot pellets 15+ years ago still has my local crows giving "lookout" signals when I open my back door. (What always amazes me is that the door is under a 12' roof overhang. They are cawing before they can see me. Every few years I give them a reminder pellet.

The other ones I've seen are the Scrub and Stellar jays. A friend has used his blueberry bird nets this spring after his first sowing was hit and they haven't come back. His last corn goes in today so the net will be available for the berries next month.

15 years ago I laid down chicken wire on a 4-foot wide bed at my mother's. I was planting corn for her using Jim Crocket's Victory Garden 12"x12" spacing. The wire mesh gave easy job of sowing the seeds evenly and the crows at her place didn't like to walk on the wire. After a few years, I stopped using the wire but the crows didn't come back.

I have not had as good luck with the stellar jays. I've even had them pull the white name marking tags in the garlic & onion rows. They are skittish so you can harass them easily to discourage them. Their main effort in my garden seems to be burying peanuts shell and all that some neighbor foolishly leaves out for squirrels(?).

Gary
Olympia
Sunset Zone 5, USDA Zone 8

IP Logged

Joy C
Rainy Side Gardener

Joined: Feb-10-2009
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posts: 288

Posted: Jun-21-2010 at 11:51am

Thanks, I was thinking that city birds were a lot smarter than country birds, but you reminded me how effectivly the evidence of consequences left hanging inhibits bad behavior, Can't do that in the city. I would say that before I got the reemay and netting down, the crows and jays decapitated 50% of my corn sprouts, so I have replanted and will have an extended season thanks to them! I checked the blueberries, and it is evident the birds have been testing, as there were several clusters with a peck mark on one berry, so that netting will also be going up later today. I have observed crows and jays bring peanuts to the gutters and bird bath, and soaking? them before eating, The gutter cleaning proved that peanut shells and other gems also plug the down-spouts. Some of my dearest friends ask my why I continue to feed the birds-- Easy, for the pleasure and thrill of our inside cats, (and me).

Joy

IP Logged

Edible Gardening
Pacific Northwest Garden Forum : The Gardens : Edible Gardening

Author	Message
Joy C Rainy Side Gardener Joined: Feb-10-2009 Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro Posts: 288	Topic: birds eating corn seed sprouts Posted: Jun-20-2010 at 2:45pm
	Does anyone have a fail safe method for preventing birds from eating the corn seeds from the newly sprouted corn? We used to have cats who babysat the corn, but in the new neighborhood, there are far fewer outside cats. It annoys me when I see the green sprouts lying 2 inches away from there planting site and the hole is empty and there are still black sunflower seeds in the feeder!
	Joy

	IP Logged

DebbieTT Admin Group Sunset zone 5, USDA zone 8 Joined: Jan-25-2003 Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula Posts: 4306	Posted: Jun-20-2010 at 3:00pm
	Cover it with remay or a cage until they are well rooted.
	When the going gets tough, the tough need a hug.
	IP Logged

SusanLayne Rainy Side Gardener Joined: Dec-12-2009 Location: Oregon, Western Cascade Foothills Posts: 74	Posted: Jun-20-2010 at 3:02pm
	Same with beans. Birds love young bean plants.
	See our farm blog, the Shambles Under Highland Butte: http://skepweaver.wordpress.com
	IP Logged

gary Rainy Side Gardener Joined: Jul-26-2003 Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor Posts: 1025	Posted: Jun-21-2010 at 4:08am
	The main culprits are crows and jays. Both can be taught to be cautious if not even avoid your yard. And you don't have to go as far as a friend did twenty years ago when he hung a dead crow on one of his pear trees. A few slingshot pellets 15+ years ago still has my local crows giving "lookout" signals when I open my back door. (What always amazes me is that the door is under a 12' roof overhang. They are cawing before they can see me. Every few years I give them a reminder pellet. The other ones I've seen are the Scrub and Stellar jays. A friend has used his blueberry bird nets this spring after his first sowing was hit and they haven't come back. His last corn goes in today so the net will be available for the berries next month. 15 years ago I laid down chicken wire on a 4-foot wide bed at my mother's. I was planting corn for her using Jim Crocket's Victory Garden 12"x12" spacing. The wire mesh gave easy job of sowing the seeds evenly and the crows at her place didn't like to walk on the wire. After a few years, I stopped using the wire but the crows didn't come back. I have not had as good luck with the stellar jays. I've even had them pull the white name marking tags in the garlic & onion rows. They are skittish so you can harass them easily to discourage them. Their main effort in my garden seems to be burying peanuts shell and all that some neighbor foolishly leaves out for squirrels(?).
	Gary Olympia Sunset Zone 5, USDA Zone 8
	IP Logged

Joy C Rainy Side Gardener Joined: Feb-10-2009 Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro Posts: 288	Posted: Jun-21-2010 at 11:51am
	Thanks, I was thinking that city birds were a lot smarter than country birds, but you reminded me how effectivly the evidence of consequences left hanging inhibits bad behavior, Can't do that in the city. I would say that before I got the reemay and netting down, the crows and jays decapitated 50% of my corn sprouts, so I have replanted and will have an extended season thanks to them! I checked the blueberries, and it is evident the birds have been testing, as there were several clusters with a peck mark on one berry, so that netting will also be going up later today. I have observed crows and jays bring peanuts to the gutters and bird bath, and soaking? them before eating, The gutter cleaning proved that peanut shells and other gems also plug the down-spouts. Some of my dearest friends ask my why I continue to feed the birds-- Easy, for the pleasure and thrill of our inside cats, (and me).
	Joy
	IP Logged