Save Your Seedlings From The Birds

It's important work protecting your newly panted seedlings and freshly sown seed from our friends the birds. Especially in spring, when nest building and baby feeding is on the agenda.

The simplest way is to plant into a living mulch.

Otherwise, immediately after planting, protect seeds or seedlings with:

• birdnet by resting it on top small stakes or over cloche hoops.
• branches of bracken fern lightly scattered over top.
• birdsticks - small sticks pushed in the ground around seedlings.
• protect newly sown seed by laying shade cloth on top. Peel it up once the crop has three or four leaves. If birds are still active you may need to erect birdnet or bracken fern at this point.

Bear with our friends the birds - this fervent activity has its season and will soon abate. The less mulch and the less bare patches, the less bird interest. For the least pfaffing about, keep your soil covered in plants!