Whether carved, painted or artfully arranged, pumpkins are one of the easiest and most popular fall decorations. However, they can be much more than just decorative. They can even be turned into practical feeding stations for your feathered friends in the garden. And the best thing about it: You can build your own bird feeder out of pumpkin and it's super easy!
You can easily convert your Halloween lantern into a bird feeder, provided the pumpkin isn't rotted or decorated with unsafe accents. If you lit your jack-o-lantern with a real candle, you will first need to scrape off any wax or blackened spots on the pumpkin flesh.
Cut the pumpkin in half to resemble a bowl, or carve around the face so there is a large opening. Fillhim with bird seed.
Place these feeders around a feeder, on a balcony, in flower beds or simply throughout the garden for hungry birds to enjoy.
Build your own bird feeder out of pumpkin – instructions
If you love carving pumpkins, you'll love this easy project that involves simply adding bird seed and making a few small changes.
Step 1
Start by cutting out the holes and designs slightly larger than you would for decorative purposes to ensure they are large enough for the birdsreach the feeding placecan. Not every hole has to be big enough for a bird, but there should be at least two or three ways for the birds to get in and out so that they feel safe and comfortable and the feeder can accommodate more birds.
Step 2
After carving, soak the pumpkin in a weak bleach solution for an hour: 3 tablespoons bleach in 3 quarts of water. Warning: this is a very mild solution. You can also put this mixture in a spray bottle and mist the pumpkin. This hydrates the pumpkin and prevents mold growth, so the carved pumpkin stays fresher for longer.
However, do not apply petroleum jelly or other oily products to the cut edges, as these products can easily smear on birds' feathers, causing problems similar to those caused by an oil spill.
Step 3
Allow the pumpkin to dry thoroughly and then fill it with seeds for the birds to discover. Mixed seeds or sunflower seeds with black oilattract most speciesand help boost fall bird migration and provide energy for year-round guests who may be stocking up on seeds for the winter. Sprinkle a few seeds on the cut edges of the pumpkin or where you placed the feeder to help the birds discover the bounty.
Make your own DIY pumpkin bird seed vase
For an even more festive twist, turn your pumpkin into a bird-friendly feeder bouquet. Instead of carving a complete pattern into the fruit, remove just the top portion and hollow out the center. Insert a simple garden pot into the pumpkin and use it as a vase for seed-filled flowers, such as: B. a mature sunflower head, mature coneflower flowers, marigolds and other bird-friendly flowers.
Adding millet branches, wheat stalks, acorn branches and ripe berry stalks gives the bouquet more texture and color while providing a greater variety of food toto attract more birds. For further decorative accents, you can also add ripe pine cones, colorful leaves, or other green accents.
To make a flower vase even more attractive, you can decorate the pumpkin with non-toxic paint, lines, swirls, shapes, initials, or a fun message. Place these vases in window boxes to create an autumnal decoration, or arrange them on a staircase, use them as table decorations on the balcony, or place a delicious vase on a ground feeder to attract birds.
Make speckled sunflower pumpkins
For an elegant decoration that will please both you and the birds, make a speckled pumpkin with sunflower seeds to use as bird seed. First, clean the outsideof your pumpkinand then sketch any pattern you like—thin, delicate patterns like lace, filigree, swirls, and outlines work best.
Use an awl or the tip of a knife or scalpel to make starting holes or tracks throughout the pattern. Then, briefly soak the pumpkin in a weak bleach bath to prevent mold and keep it fresh.
After drying the squash, follow your design by pushing the large seeds into the flesh with the tip facing inward to make them easier to grip. Keep the seeds close together for a uniform look and rotate seeds (black oil sunflower, striped sunflower, safflower) for more variety.
You can even use pumpkin seeds in your design, and birds like jays, thrushes, and mockingbirds will happily eat them. Fill in each line, making sure the kernels are snug and close together so they look good. The birds will have no trouble removing them!
Like other pumpkin bird feeders, these speckled specimens can be placed in groups on a platform, balcony or ground feeder. When miniature pumpkins are speckled, they can even be hung individually from tree branches for a festive anddelicious autumn decorationto create for birds.
No matter what type of bird feeder you build yourself out of pumpkin, it will not only be an attractive addition to your fall decorations, but also a festive feeder that all the birds in the garden will enjoy.
