Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Stop Birds Nesting in Hanging Flower Baskets
How to Stop Birds Nesting in Hanging Flower Baskets. Hanging ornamental plants are really attractive nesting sites for many types of birds. Unfortunately, a bird nest in a plant can lead to insect issues, an inability to water and problems with aggressive, defensive avian parents once the eggs have been laid. Stop birds from nesting in your hanging...
Hanging ornamental plants are really attractive nesting sites for many types of birds. Unfortunately, a bird nest in a plant can lead to insect issues, an inability to water and problems with aggressive, defensive avian parents once the eggs have been laid. Stop birds from nesting in your hanging flower baskets with a few simple, inexpensive preventative steps.
Things You'll Need
Rubber snakes
Mothballs
Bamboo skewers
Thread
Mylar tape
Install some rubber snakes in the basket. You can coil the snakes beneath the flowers and leaves of the plants so that they are not visible to humans but will discourage birds from investigating the basket as a future home.
Place a few mothballs in the basket. The mothballs will not hurt the plants---though do not place more than four in any one basket---but their odor will discourage birds from invading the basket.
Build a bamboo barricade. Bamboo skewers with pieces of thread strung between them prevent birds from landing in your basket. If you use green or white thread, the structure should not detract from the visual appeal of your flowers.
Frighten birds away with Mylar tape. Shiny garden spinners are a popular alternative because they provide a more coherent look. Place strips of Mylar tape (or the spinners) on and around the hanging baskets during nesting season. Once the birds have built elsewhere, you can remove the tape.
Tips & Warnings
If you like the birds in your baskets, but you find yourself unable to water your plants, then try placing the top half of a two-liter soda bottle upside down in the planter before putting in soil and plants. The birds will build in the hollow, and you can water your plant without fear of drowning the babies.
