Johnsons's Garden Centers Text File document - copyright 2005
PDF file available at http://www.johnsonsgarden.com/newsletter/birdsquirrels.html

Christmas For The Birds
November/December 2005
Mike Hargrove, Johnson's West 13th Store Manager

    A lot of the trees in my backyard are loaded with food for the birds
at this time of year. My wife and I usually take the food naturally
found in our landscape a step further by decorating the pine in the
backyard with edible ornaments for the birds. The grandkids enjoy
helping out with these ornaments, especially the ones that are a little
messy to make! Here are some of the easier ornaments to try:

- Fill pinecones with peanut butter and roll in Songbird Gourmet
  Bird Seed. Tie some yarn or raffia around the base of the pinecone and
  hang from a tree.

- String peanuts in the shell on lengths of dental floss to make
  short pieces of garland. We have found dental floss does not break when
  going through the tough shells. Use a darning or upholstery needle and
  soak the peanuts in water for 30 minutes before stringing. Make the
  garland at least 6-8" so the birds can handle them easily.

- You can also make garland out of crabapples or cranberries. Use
  grapes as simple clusters to hang from a tree.

- Use half an orange (or grapefruit) as a mini feeder. First, eat
  the meat from the orange and save the rind. Melt some peanut suet and
  fill the empty rind. Use colorful yarn to hang the feeder in a tree.

- If you have some mesh bags (the kind onions come in) you can cut
  them into small squares and fill with sunflower seeds. Tie the bundles
  with brightly colored yarn or raffia and hang in a tree.

- Use large cookie cutters to cut out bread cookies. String yarn
  through the bread slice after you have cut out the cookie shape, let the
  bread dry, spread with peanut butter and decorate with our Gardener's
  Choice Bird Seed.

- Spread peanut butter on bagels and hang with yarn or just use old
  doughnuts and tie them to a tree.

- Small pieces of ear corn add a lot of color to the tree if you tie
  yarn or raffia around the top of the ear and hang from a tree.

- Some other items that work well in a tree for the birds are millet
  sprays and sunflower heads if you happen to have any left from those
  that bloomed earlier. The critters always get to mine before I can save
  them!

    Decorating a tree for the birds is also a great use for your cut
Christmas tree after the holidays. It also offers the birds some
protection from the weather and predators if put out in the yard.