It turns out old CDs are the key to protecting your flower buds and fresh grass from being harmed in spring.
Do not chuck your old CDs in the rubbish, as they can prove remarkably handy for gardeners looking to safeguard their flowers, lawns and seedlings from birds this spring. It may sound peculiar, but now we’re in March, plants are vulnerable ans only just starting to sprout.
Spring also marks nesting season for many British birds. Species including blackbirds, pigeons and sparrows are frequently scouring gardens for seeds to nourish their young. Birds can rapidly wreak havoc on a garden during this period by unearthing freshly planted seeds, whilst also nibbling flower buds and grass shoots.
Gardens can find it difficult to flourish if birds aren’t kept at bay from plants in early spring, and Tanya Anderson, a gardener and founder of Lovely Greens, reckons hanging CDs is a highly effective deterrent.
Tanya explained: “Tie old CDs by a string in your fruit trees, bushes, or elsewhere in your garden. Their reflective surfaces will flash as they move in the breeze, scaring birds away.”
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CDs frighten birds by bouncing back sunlight and creating flashes of light, which they frequently confuse with the rapid movements of predators, reports the Express.
Birds are instinctively wary, particularly during nesting season, and unexpected movement makes them far more inclined to maintain their distance.
The flashing light can also bewilder them whilst flying, reducing the likelihood they’ll touch down in your garden and diminishing their opportunity to peck at your lawn or plants.
This straightforward technique works not only with CDs, but equally well with strips of tin foil, old metal pie lids, or even purpose-made bird deterrent tape, all operating on the same principle.
If you’re fond of feeding birds, simply position the CDs in parts of your garden you want to safeguard, such as a vegetable patch or lawn, whilst keeping them well away from your bird table or birdbath.
It’s worth noting that smaller birds like robins, chaffinches and goldfinches typically forage close to the ground and are less likely to spot CDs.
They also tend to be accustomed to humans, displaying more curiosity and boldness, meaning they’re more inclined to examine a shiny object rather than flee from it.
CDs prove more effective against larger birds, such as pigeons, as they’re naturally more wary since they’re easier targets for predators.
Their bigger eyes also mean they detect sudden flashes of light more readily, and they’re slower than smaller birds too, so they must be cautious about where they land, as getting away from danger proves harder for them.
Larger birds can also inflict considerably more harm on your garden, but investing just a few minutes hanging CDs in elevated spots, such as trees, can help deter them throughout spring.