Birdseed sprouting in flower garden! HELP!

[Laurie]

We hung a tubular bird feeder from our birch tree this past winter and
spring. It was above the raised flower bed around the tree. We plant
annuals there every spring. Well, the birds spilled a lot of seed, we did
not think it was viable, but now that we've prepared the soil and planted
impatiens, a bunch of green things (many look like long grasses) are coming
up on the half of the bed under where the feeder was. It looks worse all
the time. Weeding it is difficult, since it returns every day. Is there
some sort of weed killer (yuck) we should use? Also, the impatiens look
pretty anemic; they've always done well in the past. Should we start all
over with new soil, plants, etc. (costly)? This is in our front yard and
very noticeable.
Thanks in advance, Laurie (Zone 5b, SE Wis.)

[Byron Morris]

Preen or Preen & Green is one product commonly available that stops
seeds from sprouting - but it won't kill established weeds. I use P&G
in flower beds after I have weeded them.

[m&v]

However, it will kill any bird who eats a piece of it in place of a seed. I do
not suggest Preen and Green in beds where birds are ground feeding. I have the
same problem with the seeds sprouting. I have a great stand of sunflowers under
their one feeder! I just cut them all down, and every week I go through will a
weeding hoe, which is V shaped, and scrape the sprouts off a the soil level. It
takes a few minutes for each feeder.

Victoria

[Michael Strickland]

On Wed, 2 Jun 1999 14:30:48 -0500, Laurie wrote:

>some sort of weed killer (yuck) we should use? Also, the impatiens look
>pretty anemic; they've always done well in the past. Should we start all
>over with new soil, plants, etc. (costly)? This is in our front yard and
>very noticeable.

If there were sunflower seeds in the mix, that's probably the cause of
the anemic looking impatiens. Sunflower seeds have a chemical in the
hull that supresses growth in other plants.

Later, Mike
USDA Zone 7, Sunset Zone 32 AHS HZ7 (Villa Rica, GA)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
m.stri...@att.net

[Mike & Donna McCombs]

I have sunflower seeds growing in my banana trees !
Donna

m&v <ani...@9ticnet.com> wrote in message
news:8394D8CDB8A5F059.701D7BBF...@lp.airnew
s.net...

> >> some sort of weed killer (yuck) we should use? Also, the
impatiens look
> >> pretty anemic; they've always done well in the past. Should
we start all
> >> over with new soil, plants, etc. (costly)? This is in our
front yard and
> >> very noticeable.

[Jewels]

Try using decorative bark under the feeder or try planting a thick ground
creeper, like some of the sedums available, that way none of the seeds will
hit the soil and you won't have to worry about weeding.

Another suggestion would be to use a landscape fabric under the feeder.
When you decide which plants you would like to plant under the feeder,
simply cut a hole for them. The landscape fabric allows the water to go
through, but will not allow weeds to come up, or allow the bird seed to take
root (no visible soil).

Hope it helps

Jewels from Thunder Bay, Ontario
m&v wrote in message

[KShuller]

ANOTHER solution is to take a plastic garbage can lid and cut a hole in the
middle to accomodate the post. Set it almost even with the soil, insert bird
feeder pole This will "catch" the dropped seed. Periodically, remove pole and
dump seeds in trash.

Kathy