Bird Feeders and weeds under them (landscape, growing, grass, squirrel)

[no kudzu]

It's fun to watch how picky the birds are. Some are incredibly messy, tossing away as much as they eat. This, of course, means weeds underneath the bird feeders. We have mulch of course but weeds like mulch as well as bare ground. I've tried landscape fabric under mulch but still some seeds germinate. What do you do to keep weeds from growing under bird feeders?

[Zoisite]

Weeds don't grow on snow. I don't like to enable a dependency on humans in wild animals for the sake of human enjoyment. So the only time I would consider putting out bird feeders is in the winter if there was snow and ice covering everything for an extended period of time and the local birds couldn't gain access to their natural winter foods. Starving birds in the dead of winter aren't ever picky and there won't be any seeds left behind on top of the snow.


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[North Beach Person]

Ask the Bird Experts: Do Birds Get Dependent on Feeders? - Birds and Blooms

[oldgardener]

I only feed them sunflower seeds, get an occasional sunflower sprout, but I don't mind them. No weeds.

[AZgarden]

My neighbor took an old very big top to a garbage can and put it under the feeder. Worked ok. Looked kinda weird.

[astrohip]

Originally Posted by no kudzu

It's fun to watch how picky the birds are. Some are incredibly messy, tossing away as much as they eat. This, of course, means weeds underneath the bird feeders. We have mulch of course but weeds like mulch as well as bare ground. I've tried landscape fabric under mulch but still some seeds germinate. What do you do to keep weeds from growing under bird feeders?

Same problem. I just keep it mowed if it's on grass, and cultivate the mulch when necessary to kill the weeds if it's over mulch.

But yeah, you can clearly see where the birdseed weeds are in the grass. They're a different color green. Oh well...

Originally Posted by Zoisite

I don't like to enable a dependency on humans in wild animals for the sake of human enjoyment.

I don't really care. If I want to feed them, I feed them. The birds can figure out the details.

[Reactionary]

I agree with Zoisite - birds are wild animals and will be fine without your help.

If you really want to 'feed' the birds for -your- enjoyment, consider planting bird-friendly native plants, which will attract birds without growing weeds or attracting unwanted visitors (you'll be lucky if squirrels are the only rodents you attract with feeders).

[ABQConvict]

I have millet and sunflowers growing under my bird feeder. They are not weeds because I like them.

They produce seed heads in the Summer which is the only supplementary feed my local birds get in the Summer since I only stock the feeder in Winter.

[phonelady61]

I stock my bird feeder all year round . I love watching them play in the water in the bird bath and I love helping them eat .

[bigbear99]

Originally Posted by Zoisite

I don't like to enable a dependency on humans in wild animals for the sake of human enjoyment.
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This is a joke, right? Are you hostile to zoos, too? Cats? They're kinda wild. Dogs? They once were. Horses? you get the idea.....