Job of the Week – Top up your Bird feeders
Job of the Week
Top up your Bird feeders
Last week we showed you a really simple way to make your own bird feeders. Now, if you’ve done this or already have your own bird feeders, remember to keep them topped up. You’ve probably noticed a lot of activity on them over the past few weeks and that’s because birds require a lot of high energy foods in the winter which they may not be able to get on their own. They need to maintain their fat reserves to survive the colder nights.
If you’ve noticed that you’re getting through a lot of bird seed, that’s great! So, keep your tables, boxes or feeders topped up and keep to a feeding routine. Birds are clever, they’ll remember when you put out fresh seed and will visit accordingly. If you think you’re seeing the same bird everyday around the same time, you probably are.
If you’re not sure what to feed them, simple things like, seeds, peanuts and fat balls are great, and you’ll see them go quite quickly. If you’re putting things like fruit out such as apples, grapes, melon or dried fruit like currants, ensure they are pet friendly if you have a dog. If you do have a dog, we recommend sticking to seeds and nuts. Items like breadcrumbs, cooked rice and uncooked porridge oats are also great home produce that you can use.
It’s also a good idea to check the water in your bird bath, as our flying friends will still appreciate the water source. If it’s frozen or running low, top it up!
Time to Harvest
This cold season crop will be about ready for you to harvest. Full of vitamin C this great salad filler is normally ready to go after 5 or 6 weeks after sowing. Start harvesting the outer leaves first using scissors, you will often find harvesting it this way will allow for more to resprout. Check for discoloured leaves and remove them from your harvest. It should keep in your fridge for around 10-14 days but keep an eye on it to see if any leaves have decayed.
Once all this is done, enjoy your fresh spinach salad, or maybe cook with some butter in a pan and use it as a side to a delicious hot meal.
