Has anyone else got my problem?
Now the snow has gone I am left with an unholy mess everywhere. The snow has melted, but not the uneaten food, either scattered by me ontop of the snow, or thrown out of the feeders by the starlings. It is everywhere, mushy, wet, stuck together with bits of soggy crushed fat balls, in every part of the garden.
I have a real roblem because most of my garden is gravel. Gravel and seed don't mix well when trying to sweep up. I have had a go this morning, and ended up with bags full of sticky gravel.
Any suggestions for cleaning up?
Cheers, Linda.
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I absolutely have the same problem. I looked out my bedroom window this morning which looks out over our back garden and there are rotten apples, pears, plums and seeds everywhere!
I'm lucky as my garden is mainly lawn so I am hoping it will all rot away into the ground. I'm not really sure what you can do with the gravel - sorry! I think i'll head out with a bin bag tomorrow and clean-up.
Make me a coffee and put me in front of the kitchen window!
I have a feeling this will turn out to be a universal problem!
I've mentioned somewhere on here that I too have a garden covered in soggy seed, it looks a mess and no doubt will just turn into a horrid damp, rotting pile if I don't get it up. I was hoping for an influx of pigeons or doves but they haven't obliged!
Unlike you, Sparrow, ours is grass. I have no idea how you would get it up off gravel actually - sounds like a nightmare!
If anyone has ideas how to get all this seed up I too would be grateful.
We are planning on slabbing underneath the feeding station with what I call 'pizza slice' shaped slabs that will create a circle all around the feeding station. Until that is done I have the problem of this seed!
Hi Sparrow
Same problem here, but all the mess is confined in the lawn area.
I suggest a simple garden hose with the strongest connection for water spray (we have a hozel make and it has all types of connections) We have one connection that sprays water really hard. It removes moss of the paving stones etc... We have a machine that Dave uses for cleaning his car and it is good for the same reason - it has a strong water hose. Great for a spurt of water of two.
you just need to spray the seed over the top of the gravel. Then pick up with whatever impliament suits, and throw in bin.
We have had the gravel and the seed problem in the past, You need to be careful that the seed does not sprout otherwise that could become a problem and your gravel stones a nightmare to keep clear of weeds.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
My yard is the same - and that is paving slabs. At the moment it is even worse to walk on than the snow and ice because it is so slippery! It wasn't helped, of course, by my deliberately throwing down food for the wagtails - who are still visiting but have rather a lot of food to get through. So I think I, too, will have to embark on a clean up operation and then start again with fresh food. The pied has now learned to get to the tables but the grey, although trying, hasn't succeeded yet. I will put the next lot into a shallow bowl on the floor and hope the grey can at least manage to eat from there
The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.
The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!
Yes I've got the same problem, it's everywhere, not just in the places where I'd put it (which has confused me). I looked this morning trying to figure out 1. How to clean it up & 2. What with. I put it off until tomorrow hoping the collared doves would eat it. I only put suet pellets & mealworms out today. Yes you guessed it they went quickly & the seed etc has been left.
I did think what the heck when the snow was up to my knees making 6 food piles per day (so everything had a chance to compete with the blackbirds) but may have to think of a different plan next time it snows.
I am gona let nature take its course& leave it, if it doesnt rot down etc I will jet wash it off the lawn onto the patio. This should work as my garden is on a slope.
Same problem here, as everywhere I expect. As I've been making my own bird food out of porridge oats and dried fruit, the oats which have been left (fruit gets gobbled up almost instantly!) have turned into big lumps of soggy porridge, not good. I shall be embarking on a big clean up tomorrow, which will also help to get rid of the greedy fieldfare's droppings, they're everywhere :/
I'm not sure how you can clear up all the soggy food from your gravel though, I'm afraid.
I also have the same problem, theres me thinking the sparrows where eating a lot of food from the feeders, when in fact they where just spreading it about on the floor, also discovered uneaten fresh pasta I had left over and put out, and lots of otherslimy stuff as well.
It has rained quite heavy here for the last 24 hours so its far too wet to try to brush up off the lawn. Uck.
Most of my slime is the rolled oats I put in my mix to fill it out, not going to use it anymore as it was just getting left.
Slime seems to be the best way to describe it! I had intended to sort the mess out today in between the rain showers but had other things to do too. Plus I always feel guilty scaring the birds off to go outside.
I have considered getting the garden vacuum thing on the spilt seeds but not sure if it would work!
Blackbird - I intend to try to blast it with the hose, which should spread it about more thinly, then put some more gravel down on top. Then I am going to ask hubby to sort something out, such as paving stones or even a concrete bit under the feeders.
This is all my own fault for scattering every sort of food available all over the place. I just hope Roland Rat doesn't find it or the neighbours will be reporting me to the you-know-who people. It is mostly seed, and lots of it, mushed up with soggy, greasy fat, mueseli and goodness knows what.
I have examined all my flat feeders (4) and table, where I put mostly seed, suet, nut granules, sultanas and mealworms. The "goodies" have all gone, totally, but the seed remains untouched. Tomorrow I am going to be cruel and not add any suet pellets, mealworms or sultanas. They can do without and eat the seed up as the forecast is for it to be relatively warm. No doubt the starlings will be stamping and complaining.