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Will premium bird seed have weed seeds? I have been feeding the birds with black sunflower seeds to make sure I don't get weeds in my grass.
You can get shelled sunflower seeds, I believe those don’t sprout. But sunflower seeds in general won’t sprout into weeds if they do sprout. They’ll sprout into……..wait for it……..sunflower plants!
Either way, the sprouts are unsightly under the feeder.
Will premium bird seed have weed seeds? I have been feeding the birds with black sunflower seeds to make sure I don't get weeds in my grass.
Definitions matter. "Weed" is subjective and will vary based on the location and the person asking. What some people consider a weed someone else might consider a desirable flower. Up to you to clean up under/around your feeders regardless what seed they hold.
First, I would do some reading about what is considered a noxious invasive weed in your area. Check with a local/regional ag extension office or conservation agency. They may even offer suggestions for what birdseed mixes to avoid. Some regions even go so far as to ban local retail sales of some seed mixes for precisely that reason.
Try to buy no-waste mixes that include hulled, chopped, baked, seeds. They won't germinate once on the ground.
Pay attention to what your feathered freeloaders ARE eating! Don't buy seed mixes that contain filler seeds they don't eat. That ends up on the ground as waste where it can rot, harbor molds and other diseases birds can pick up, attract creatures you don't want to attract, and yes, sprout into weeds. If all they'll reliably eat are hulled sunflower chips, buy it. If they don't eat niger, don't buy it.
Last edited by Parnassia; 02-16-2024 at 05:28 PM..
You can get shelled sunflower seeds, I believe those don’t sprout. But sunflower seeds in general won’t sprout into weeds if they do sprout. They’ll sprout into……..wait for it……..sunflower plants!
Either way, the sprouts are unsightly under the feeder.
My bird feeders are in an area that has mulch in it. I am concerned about seeds spread out by birds across my lawn. I had a good crop of sunflower plants growing under the feeders until the deer ate them which was an additional plus.
My bird feeders are in an area that has mulch in it. I am concerned about seeds spread out by birds across my lawn. I had a good crop of sunflower plants growing under the feeders until the deer ate them which was an additional plus.
There are lots of seed hull catchers available, but if volunteer sunflowers are a problem, buy hulled chipped sunflower. Maybe a different feeder design would reduce the amount of waste seed that ends up on the ground.
My bird feeders are in an area that has mulch in it. I am concerned about seeds spread out by birds across my lawn. I had a good crop of sunflower plants growing under the feeders until the deer ate them which was an additional plus.
The groundhogs eat the sunflowers that sprout underneath my feeders. I get my birdseed from Country Max. I think they are New York State-based, but they ship the seed. I like the fact that I can buy bags of pure millet there, which the small birds like. They also have good black oil sunflower, safflower and peanuts, as well as some nice finch-oriented mixes. https://www.countrymax.com/ (I have no affiliation with them.)
If I put seeds out, any type except safflower, the squirrels pig out on them and the birds get none. And they don’t get a chance to sprout.
With safflower, at least the squirrels don’t eat them. But now I get tons of white wing doves and sparrows who will sit and eat until the seeds are gone.
My pretty birds don’t stand a chance.
Will premium bird seed have weed seeds? I have been feeding the birds with black sunflower seeds to make sure I don't get weeds in my grass.
Well, seeds are plants that haven't sprouted yeet. Weeds are plants that can be ANYTHING. They just have to grow in the "wrong" place. That's all a weed is. A plant that grows in the "wrong" place. (I use quotes because there really IS no wrong place for a plant to grow.) As proven by the plant.
So, would/could/should a premium bird seed have "weed" seeds? I hope so!
You can get shelled sunflower seeds, I believe those don’t sprout. But sunflower seeds in general won’t sprout into weeds if they do sprout. They’ll sprout into……..wait for it……..sunflower plants!
Either way, the sprouts are unsightly under the feeder.
I have indeed had shelled sunflower seeds that sprouted. Though personally I don't mind if they do.
The only seed I've ever had a problem with sprouting is millet. I never buy it anymore, except when it comes on the natural sprays, and then I put those on my patio, held down by a brick, so that the seeds don't have any ground beneath to sprout in.
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I get my birdseed from Country Max. I think they are New York State-based, but they ship the seed. I like the fact that I can buy bags of pure millet there, which the small birds like. They also have good black oil sunflower, safflower and peanuts, as well as some nice finch-oriented mixes. 
