Circle of Life? For years the Scotts Company has made its money

[hedgehog]

selling Americans the means to a perfect lawn. All to often that meant ground covered with a single species of non-native grass mowed weekly and kept looking pristine and lovely by copious amounts of fertilizer, pesticide and herbicide. Any trees, shrubs or flowers are also kept tightly trimmed and treated. Non-seed bearing types are preferred since having seeds, berries, nuts or other fruits land on the lawn makes a mess. This style lawn may look great, but to any wild animal it's a desert. There is no food, no cover and no place to build a nest.


I was in the grocery store last week and went to pick up bird seed. That's when I found out that Scotts is now marketing bird seed found to "Attract up to 2X MORE colorful birds!"


:shrug:

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. I'm surprised Scotts doesn't promise that their bird seed kills the dull colored birds

[LaurenG]

2. Lol!

:rofl:

[jmowreader]

3. I kinda wish it would drive the starlings away

[hedgehog]

5. Starlings are seriously unappreciated. Look closely and you'll

see that they have a subtle pattern to their feathers. I also like to listen to their song- they like to chit chat. And of course, if it weren't for the starlings scattering seed all over, what would the mourning doves and squirrels eat!

[dipsydoodle]

9. They can also

be a real fucking nuicance if a whole flock of them grab all the food meant for the sparrows, tits and finches. Maybe that's a just a UK thing. :shrug: BTW - if you want birds get a hedge.

[GoCubsGo]

25. Not just a nuisance...

...but an invasive species. Just like European house sparrows and pigeons. All three were introduced by Shakespeare fanatics in the 19th century.

Another way to attract birds: a bird bath or pond.

[Toucano]

13. +1

[JVS]

4. LOL

[DCKit]

16. I'm thinking they're adding dyes and mutating chemicals.

Just wait until people start reporting sightings of the Phoenix and turkeys the size of the one in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

[dysfunctional press]

6. different birds eat different types of food...

it's no big trick to put in more of the stuff that attracts songbirds.

[hedgehog]

7. The problem is getting teh song birds to read the bag so they

know what's in the feeder!

[dysfunctional press]

8. ???

:shrug:

[MineralMan]

17. Yabbut it's expensive. Seems that the colorful birds like the

expensive seeds. Your bargain brands just bring in the sparrows and house finches, which like the cheap seeds.

I'm still waiting for my first indigo bunting. Gotta find out what they like.

[GoCubsGo]

26. They like,,,

...old fields, abandoned land and roadsides. I see them all the time in power line right-of-ways. They'll eat pretty much anything that's in your standard bird blends, especially the finch mixes. However, if you aren't near the right habitat, you probably won't see many, if any, at your feeders. Try a thistle feeder with a thistle/millet/sunflower chip blend...

[MichaelHarris]

10. Al birds have beauty

when you drop acid

[pipi_k]

11. I'm proud of my yard

It's a certified backyard wildlife habitat through the National Wildlife Federation because I don't give a shit about having a perfect lawn or not having nut or berry trees because they "litter" the grass.

I have weeds and old logs and two ponds and little bathouses and wildflower gardens, butterflies, and birds and bears and frogs and as much wildlife as anyone can stand.

My yard isn't the best looking one in town, but it's sure interesting


:7

[NCarolinawoman]

23. That's the way a yard should be, IMO.

I like your way of thinking.:toast: :thumbsup:

[shadowknows69]

12. Birdie Crack?

[rosesaylavee]

14. No no no. The Bayer company takes the cake this season for audacious idiocy

Have you seen their commercials for their new product that kills all the bugs in your lawn on top and several inches deep into the soil so your lawn can grow green and lush?

Amazing product. And I am sure it's selling well as most people have no idea what makes their lawn lush and green in the first place.

Bayer. A corporation you can trust to tell you the truth. Ha.

http://www.bayeradvanced.com/productFamily/outdoor-pest-control.html

[Berry Cool]

20. I've seen those ads.

I thought "Are they trying to say they kill the bugs and grubs in the soil so that the dead bodies of the beasties then turn into fertilizer for the soil?"

Like, wouldn't it be better to just let the little devils do their jobs?

[rosesaylavee]

22. Without the insects, without the worms

the lawn can only survive on the chemicals in their other products. It is just so over the top nuts...

[Pharlo]

15. I live out in the middle of no where.

My lawn is quack grass (a so called 'weed'). I swear by that stuff. It's green and looks like 'lawn' grass when it's mowed, and it can hold it's own against the burdock, mustard and dandelions that are constantly trying to overtake it. I don't use pesticides, I don't fertilize, and I don't pick up dog droppings (about an acre of lawn so not so much of an issue as it could be with a smaller space). I find that if I mow over the dog droppings , there is no need to fertilize and I'm always worried about The Damn Mutts and pesticides, so no pesticides.

As for the birds, no bird feeders, but they're welcome to all the berries, cherries, apples, and pears they can eat off the bushes and trees. All they have to do is stay above Melia's 'jump range'. That damn mutt jumps like a deer. Part Black Lab - loves sneaking birds in the house inside her mouth to 'play' with. Damn near got a bat in the house on me one night. She was at the door waiting to get in when I heard it squeaking in her mouth. Mean cruel person that I am, I made her leave it outside - safe, but ruffled and a tad bit irate.

[MineralMan]

18. Hell, I just mow whatever grows in my yard and call it a lawn.

I did an inventory today. There was even some grass in there. Lots of plantain, clover, dandy lions, of course, wild violets, and even some giant burdock that keeps trying to grow, despite being cut down again and again.

It's all green. It's all good. It's my lawn.

[hedgehog]

19. I bet your lawn looks good even during a dry spell!

[Horse with no Name]

21. I like my "lawn"

It usually ends wherever I decide to quit mowing...then it turns into the "field" (not much difference between the two).:D

[rosesaylavee]

24. I have creeping charlie which I think is a form of ajuga

If you don't cut it, it blooms a beautiful little bluish flower. I have a lot of that and violets in the spring as well as the items you list.

I have to admit I look at my burdock and think how useful it will be when society breaks down and we need something to staunch wounds with. ... my mind can run a bit morbid if I don't keep it on a tether some days. :)

[hedgehog]

27. I goggled "creeping charlie" because we've been trying to identify

a blue wild flower that blooms in the spring in lawns around here.

The first link up was from Scotts, advertising their product to kill creeping charlie!

[rosesaylavee]

28. Yep, that's it.

And then if you walk to another end of the store, a variety of it is sold as a perennial - I think is called ajuga. :crazy:

[AnnieBW]

29. Crap, I just bought some of that

Of course, I have a lot of birds because my back faces the woods.