As I was planting my favorite red daylilies (love these), the rat-tat-tat of a nearby woodpecker reminded me of another job: cleaning my bird feeders and stocking up on bird food.
Triple Seed Feeder
I clean my feeders every two weeks – and even more often during wet weather and the winter months when the birds flock to my feeders. I don’t want my feathered friends getting sick from moldy and decomposing seed or bird droppings. To clean my bird feeders, I use hot soapy water, but some people rinse their feeders with a diluted bleach solution (one part bleach to nine parts water). Before refilling the bird feeders, I make sure they are completely dry (don’t want that fresh food getting wet). I try to clean my feeders on sunny days so they can dry in the afternoon sun.
While the feeders are drying, I rake up the ground around the feeders. Spoiled food is bad for birds and pets –and it attracts rodents. I also take stock of the bird seed and food that I have on hand. During cold weather, the birds need more food, and I don’t want to run out! Because I want to attract a variety of birds, I have several feeders with different types of bird food. The cardinals and other songbirds love the Classic Wild Bird Mix. I put out Birdalicious™ for my bluebirds, nuthatches, chickadees and wrens. And, for my woodpeckers, I offer them suet and the Premium Woodpecker Cakes!
I have some more fall planting to do (peonies and bulbs), but I’ll write soon about providing birds water during the winter months. Happy Gardening!