How to Make Herbal Bird Feeders
When we lived in southern California, we had a neighbor who absolutely loved bird feeders. He had several dozen of them hanging in the trees just outside the boundary of his patio and he would sit on his porch and watch the birds flit between them. We would pass by his apartment each day during our evening walk and the trees in that part of the community were always filled with birds. When we moved to the PNW, I began to miss having that large colony of birds nearby and started looking into bird feeders. My husband, Jon, made me a wooden one that I just love, but I also wanted to experiment with some handmade, herbal versions. This one has become a favorite.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
either orange slices or halved orange peels
Sunflower seed butter
bird seed mix
dried, bird-safe herbs (I'm using calendula petals, cornflower petals, and German chamomile flowers. The birds here also like my lavender after the flowers have dried.)
string
bamboo skewer
INSTRUCTIONS
Choose whether you'd like to work with orange halves or slices. If you want to work with slices, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lay out the orange slices on it. Dry the slices in the oven at a low temperature until they hold their shape. If working with orange halves, scoop out the fruit and dry the orange peel in the oven as you would dry the slices.
Use a bamboo skewer to poke a hole in the top of each dried orange slice (or 2-3 holes per orange half) and thread your string through the hole(s) so you'll be able to hang your bird feeder when you're finished with it.
Dip the orange slice in sunflower seed butter, then dip the slice in a bowl of bird seed mixed with your herbs of choice. Tip: Don't use too much sunflower seed butter or it will drip off the orange slice. Use just enough to get your seeds to stick to the feeder.
If using orange halves, mix a little bit of sunflower seed butter with your bird seed/herb mix and fill the orange half with this blend.
Hang the bird feeder in your garden near a place where the birds will be able to perch while they enjoy the goodies you've left them.
About the Author
Hi there, I’m Erin! I am the main instructor here at Floranella. I am a clinical herbalist, aromatherapist, artisan distiller and organic gardener based in the Pacific Northwest. Here at Floranella, I teach people how to work with plants safely and effectively from the garden to the apothecary. Thanks for being here! I’m glad you stopped by.