PS - should have had something in pic for size reference. The plant (minus root) is about 3" tall.

I've never seen that one before, but I'll toss in this tip. The only things in the list of ingredients you mentioned that will get eaten are the sunflower, and white millet. The rest is filler, and will just get thrown on the ground to make weeds. I do a lot of bird feeding, and I basically find that the most desirable birds will go for the black oil sunflower seed. White millet will attract house sparrows, blackbirds, mourning doves, and pigeons. But, it will also attract some desirables as well, like native sparrows, towhees, and buntings. Cracked corn is a cheap alternative to keep the house sparrows and blackbirds busy. I basically buy black oil sunflower, white proso millet, and cracked corn in bulk and mix my own. That way, I have no waste or junk filler seeds being tossed all over. Pound for pound, it is also cheaper then buying mixed seed stuffed with fillers like milo, wheat, oats, and other "grain products".

Joe

Thanks for the info, Joe!! Didn't know it was filled with junk. And funny, but the 4 birds you mentions (that like millet) are my 'regulars' :-) Not that interesting to watch & blackbirds are bullies. Love to find a way NOT to feed them...LOL.

Don't know what it had in it, but did buy bag at Big Lots recently that attracted lots of red-headed finches.

As far as mixing my own, I wouldn't know where to get seed in bulk. Plus, I've cut back on number of feeders (only 2 tube type) and guess it's just more convenient to buy the bags. They're cheap & small and 1 bag fills both feeders.

Do you get weeds from your mix? Cuz that's the one reason I really like this brand. Even tho it IS filled with junk, I'm getting no weeds at all, except for this one type. And as I said, it looks pretty and doesn't seem to be rooting deep as to cause any problems. But still, thanks for your tips.

Oh, I do put out a little dish on my porch railing with hard cat or dog food in it and some seed and this attracts bluejays and cardinals and an occasional dove (as well as feeds the few squirrels I have and keeps them off my feeders).

I'm guessing the cardinals & doves are just eating the seed but the bluejay definitely likes the 'crunchies'. Is that okay for them to eat? Thanks, Bonnie

I get my bulk ingredients from a local feedmill, so start by searching for local co-ops, grain elevators, or feedmills. And yes, most store bought bags of "mixed seed" are filled with junk, which is a cheap way to add weight, so they can sack you for 20lbs, when they actually only have 5 to 10lbs of useful seed in it.

As for those blackbirds and other regulars, I have them too. Here's how I have my feeders set up: First, I have my main area, where I feed only black oil sunflower seed, and suet for the woodpeckers. Then, about 20 feet away, I have a tray feeder with my homemade mixed seed, which equals 1 part sunflower, 1 part cracked corn, 2 parts white proso millet. This mix keep all the sparrows, blackbirds, and doves entertained, while allowing the neater birds like cardinals and various finches, to eat in peace, away from the more aggressive birds.

On the the bluejays, my favorite bird. It's perfectly safe to feed them cat & dog food, although for me, the crows would just eat it all. I find that my bluejays like peanuts the most, especially in the shell. They also love cobbed corn, and also really like cheese nip crackers. Also, you said that your squirrels eat the cat food?? I can't seem to get them to eat anything but my sunflower seed. They'll do everything they can to get on my feeders, even though I give them corn and peanuts to eat.

So yeah, try & find a source of bulk seed, and buy the big three. Don't get carried away on the cracked corn though, because it does spoil over time, so I limit it to 50lbs, which lasts a long time. The others can last 2 to 3 years, if you keep them stored in a dry place. I use metal trash cans, and keep them in my garage, and make sure to clean up ALL spilled seed to keep mice away. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how there is no more wasted seed when you feed the seed the birds want. The only time I got weeds was when I had feeders over mulched areas, because it would get under the mulch where the birds couldn't find it, then sprout. But, I moved my feeders to grass areas, so all the ground feeding birds eat the spilled seed. Good luck!

Joe

Well, Jow, I wouldn't know where to begin to find grain elevators or feedmills..LOL. You must live in a rural area. Not to say we don't have some horses around. And used to have a man who kept cows, pigs & horses not to far away. But they're just developing the heck out of this area (Hampton,VA) plus I live couple blocks away from Buckroe Beach (on Chesapeake Bay). But I know we have a feed store somewhere.

As far as the squirrels, I'm sure you have lots, whereas I only have a few who come around. But yes, I can give them food in a special place and they'll leave the feeders alone. I forgot I'd done it last year, so this year they were all over my feeders. But then I remembered and now they're content with that.

In fact, I have one who patiently sits and waits for me to put the cat food out. Actually, I took a pic of him this morning because while he waited, he was eating the spilled seed right beside a squirrel statue. I thought it was just too cute. Wish I had a better zoom, tho. He's kinda hard to see.

Thanks for all the info !!
Bonnie

I learned many years ago that the birds threw out of the feeder and did not eat anything but the sunflower seeds, unless I also included some nuts. Most of those commercial "bird feeding mixes" have a lot of things birds will not eat, or will not eat unless there is nothing else. Wild turkeys eat anything so if they are around, and don;t bury that undesireable seed they will clean it up. I still get unwanted plants, "weeds" from the birds that frequent my feeders now filled with nothing but sunflower seed along with suet and I still have a large variety of bird species visiting.

I also prefer to use tray feeders, because birds don't toss aside the seeds they don't want, to get to the ones they do. For example, I put my custom mixed seed in a tray, where the birds can pick what they like, but the only thing that'll go in a tube or hopper is sunflower, otherwise seed get thrown on the ground. That and house sparrows like to throw seed around for fun.

Joe

Well, both you guys are right about lots of waste with the commercial. My only hesitation to putting out the "good stuff" and using tray feeders is that the blackbirds are already out of control and to make it easier for them to feed might just be inviting trouble. Used to have tray feeder in side yard and they were just "pigs" about it, running off all the little birds.

But I'll definitely check into making my own mix. THX !!