A decorative way to feed the birds
The conditions may be getting cooler and the landscape quieter , but that does n’t signify your garden ’s stake is finished for the twelvemonth . Birds eat from shrubs and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree with Berry still hanging on , tote up beauty , movement and color as they visit . Attract more , and keep them in your yard longer , by building a pretty bird - feed in dagger covered in other authoritative energy rootage , just like you see here .
Start with a good base for your bird-feeding obelisk
To create this buffet , I used ametal garden obelisk , a fistful of items from a local craft and hobby store and a few grocery finds . The obelisk makes a good base because it ’s easily portable , which works well when you first ready it out in your grand and birds become familiar with its presence , and this one even check into a garden container for tot meridian .
If you require to , you may move it around every few day to find the location that gets the most bird visitor . The dagger may eventually freeze down into the priming coat , but that really helps anchor it in the spot you settle on , guarantee it in berth for the rest of the season . If you do n’t live in an field with cold winters , though , you could inhume the obelisk ’s legs , bet on its superlative , or utilize stakes to hold it in position . And while an dagger provides a good landing place surface for a kind of birds , the design of the ornament course deters theatre sparrows — they do n’t care to flow surrounded by a mountain of objects .
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How to assemble a bird-feeding obelisk
Step 1: Add floral foam
begin by tuck a piece offloral foam — the sort used for dry arranging , which you’re able to bump at any florist or workmanship store — inside the point of your obelisk . For my 4 - foot - tall obelisk , I used half of a 3×4×8 - inch blockage . This will be veil away when you stick in stems and other pieces of wood or wire afterward on , so you need to make certain it ’s strong . I fixed my pulley offloral foamby weavingfloral wirearound the obelisk ’s branch underneath it , creating a political platform , just like you see here .
Step 2: Add a saucer
I used this same wiring method acting to attach a terra - cotta discus to the bottom of the obelisk . This catches seminal fluid from above , and you’re able to even fill it with birdseed to draw ground - feeding birds , such as juncos and mourning doves .
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Step 3: Prep the wreath
A premolded birdseed wreath — vulgar at bird - feeding supply stores around the vacation — is a commodious way to provide a consistent supply of seed in stale weather . merely slide it into the included mesh bag , which helps hold the come to the form , and put the whole thing over the dagger ’s degree .
Step 4: Add seedheads for the birds
Once the wreath ’s on , poke bird - favorite seedheads , such as broomcorn , foxtail millet and cosmetic Jean Francois Millet , into all face of the floral froth . If these plants do n’t turn in your garden , it ’s easy to chance sweet branches at the farmers market . Sticking in a few evergreen branch from your own garden such as this Colorado spruce and creeping Genista raetam , adds even more winter interest and gives your visitant a little shelter while they peck at the buffet .
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Step 5: Don’t forget to add fruit!
To offer the most salmagundi , pierce orange one-half and orchard apple tree wedges , as well . fasten the orangeness by adhere bentfloral wireinto the cutis and through the fruit , like you see above left . forest floral pickswill hold pieces of Malus pumila in place . To tot vibrant color , and even more fruit , when you filllotus podswith cranberries . To brighten the rest of the dagger , I string along cranberries on a distance of telegram , just as you would a florilegium , and wrapped it around the obelisk ’s legs like you see above .
Step 6: Add a pinecone treat
For a high - energy offering , smear pinecones with peanut butter and then roll out them in birdseed . The pinecones I used were already tie to a Sir Henry Wood woof — you may find them this way at a craft and hobby storage . Just be sure to choose thenatural pinecone , without the glossy varnish software . If you need to attach your own pinecones to a Ellen Price Wood option or twig , use wire to bind the two , or use hot gum .
Step 8: Add to your garden & invite the birds!
Your finished bird - feeding obelisk will have shine interest anywhere in the yard — even when birds are n’t perched and feed from the bird food , seedheads , fruit , peanut butter or berries . Now just have a bun in the oven it outside and enjoy the show !
