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We have a gravelled garden and a bird feeder. I am losing the battle with all the weeds that appear underneath the feeder from the discarded seed. I've tried pulling them up, but they are too little and numerous for that to seem like a good idea for long. I have also tried raking the gravel out of the way and pouring boiling water over the ground - thought that might kill the seeds before they germinate?

Any other ideas? Mustn't involve chemical nasties!

A sheet of polythene might be a good idea - the birds can still find the dropped seed, and it's easy to lift and clean off every few days. Taking it even further, you could put the polythene underneath the gravel.

Mike

we get this as well, and we've got 2 feeders so theres soo many seeds growing. my dad reckons its hemp and the cops are ganna come round and arrest us =/

Stand the bird feeder in the middle of your lawn then you can just mow the weeds.

MW

Thanks everyone. I think our weeds are niger - it's those pesky greenfinches are certainly the messiest!

No lawn MuddyWitch - just gravel, shrubs, pond and raised veggie patch. We've tried moving the thing in the past, but have really only moved the problem!

I can't understand how the *@&%£$ weeds can grow in gravel (with only a layer of builders sand underneath) so successfully, when anything I actually want to grow has to be taken care of so meticulously with the right soil, watering, mulch etc etc!!

MKG wrote:A sheet of polythene might be a good idea - the birds can still find the dropped seed, and it's easy to lift and clean off every few days.

hmm, bird s@!£ might be a slight problem in that one...

how about laying a few paving slabs under it, it'll look nicer than polythene, and basically you can make a permanent bird feeder, just make sure you put it somewhere sensible! (depending on local building materials, large patio brick/slate/portland stone, 1.50 x 75, or square, two of those side by side'll clean up all the problem)
hope that helps... it doesn't have to be expensive!

Chill out let em grow my dogs love em , when they are big enough pull them up.

You can buy sunflower hearts, ie shelled sunflower seeds , these don't grow.

On the seeds I wonder what if you microwaved them , this might effectively make them sterile and kill off the seed so any spilt would not germinate?. Just an idea , I might try it as we suffer from a lot of wheat and barley plants round our feeder.

I saved the water that the spuds were boiling in last night to try that on the weeds in my veg patch paths, as we read somewhere or heard it on the telly that it works. Will report back!

Cheezy wrote:You can buy sunflower hearts, ie shelled sunflower seeds , these don't grow.

On the seeds I wonder what if you microwaved them , this might effectively make them sterile and kill off the seed so any spilt would not germinate?. Just an idea , I might try it as we suffer from a lot of wheat and barley plants round our feeder.

Not very cost effective that

Let them grow! Sounds like your gravel patch could do with a touch of green ;)
When they flower they should encourage a few bees and butterflies and whatnot, and when they go to seed it'll be a bit more bird food :)