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Growing from Seed

birds eating my seedlings?

16 years ago

Hi all,

I'm new to seeds, but I ambitiously (and carefully) planted 100 giant sunflower seeds to hide a brush pile in my backyard. After a week I saw several little starts--but now, 2 weeks later, NOTHING is left!! I've noticed lots of crows around this spring--could they have pulled up the sprouts and eaten them?? I'm so disappointed! What can I do to prevent this?

Thanks,

Holly

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Comments (5)

ramazz
16 years ago
Get more seeds, start them in a more protected environment, like on your porch or inside, and when they have sprouted, plant them out where you want them. I don't know if the crows would have pulled the plants up, but they might have eaten the seeds.

Becky
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
16 years ago
Many birds relish newly sprouted seedings. Mine I cover with with hardware cloth until they get about 3 inches tall. Al
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prairiemoon2 z6b MA
16 years ago
I've had the same problem. I had nice seedlings I planted out and those got dug up and chewed on by some creature and I am betting a squirrel. Then I started them direct sown and they came up and looked gorgeous and I covered them with a milk crate but I kept feeling like they wouldn't get enough sun so I took them off one day and now I have 2 left. So I just planted more yesterday!! I am determined to have sunflowers this year. I have a new idea. I have some bird netting and I am going to rig something up with that so the seedlings are safe until they get large enough to fend for themselves. Keeping my fingers crossed.

:-)
pm2
origami_master
16 years ago
not to hijack your topic, but I have something yanking out my cosmos and bachelor's buttons and they're about 6" tall sprouts. Funny thing is that they just leave it next to the edge of the bed, I would be more happy if they actually ate the sprout, but just yanking it out and leaving it there isn't a very thing to do. I suggest using bricks, build like a fortress wall sround the newly sown seeds, then put a piece of wire netting over the rtop, remove once the sprouts out grow it. The milk crate ides will work also
marianna_z8katy
16 years ago
I've also had the same problem this year. I lost three rows of Zinnia's and four rows of Cosmos. I am not going to plant anymore until I can get some bird netting.

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