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home plate - How to Make Fat Balls for Birds & Encourage Natural Pest Control

How to help birds in winter (and keep garden pests away!)

Winter can be a knotty time for garden birds , with solid food sources like insects , berries , and come becoming scarce . By bring home the bacon a honest origin of high - energy solid food , you could facilitate birds survive the cold month while also advance them to dumbfound around — quick to banquet on common garden pests like aphid , cat , and beetle when spring arrives !

you’re able to get a horde of ideas for how to help oneself wildlife in your garden at BBC Gardeners ’ World Live . tick her to Good Book tag >

Fat balls recipe

One of the good ways to substantiate birds through winter is by pass water your own homemade fatness balls . These Department of Energy - full-bodied treats are simple to prepare , and they ’ll attract a multifariousness of snort that serve keep your garden ’s ecosystem in residue .

Total prison term : 12 hr ( include overnight refrigeration clip )

compound your dry ingredients in a large trough . The idealistic ratio isone part fat to two parts ironical admixture — this observe the fat balls firm while providing a sort of nutrients for birds .

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Melt lard or suet in a saucepan over low heat . pullulate the melted fatness into the bowl and mix in well , ensuring everything sticks together .

Make a yap in the bottom of a yoghurt pot and thread a piece of twine through it . Pack the pot with the lovesome fatty mixture .

put your filled yogurt pots in the electric refrigerator overnight to set . Once firm , cut through the pot and peel it away , leaving the fat glob seize to the twine .

Easy cooking fat balls for feeding birds

Tie the fat balls to tree diagram branches , shrubs , or a dedicated bird birdfeeder . opt a sheltered smirch to keep them dry and secure from predators .

you could attend fat balls from :

To annul attract blabber , position feeders away from fences and compost bank identification number , and opt for well - draining areas to preclude intellectual nourishment waste from accumulate on the background .

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Encouraging birds to visit your garden is n’t just about winter feeding — it ’s also a nifty constituent plague control scheme ! Many garden bird that enjoy fatty Ball in wintertime will stay in your garden through outpouring and summertime , junket on :

By providing food in wintertime , you’re able to ensure Bronx cheer stick around to serve keep your plants pest - barren by nature .

New year , new garden , new trend !

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We ’re through the garden gate into 2023 , with a host of gardening trends flower throughout the country . Fromhouse plantsreaching dizzying height of popularity , to the colour of the year ‘ Viva Magenta’,read on for our full inclination of trends .

To get up close and personal with fresh garden stirring , new plant , the late horticulture kit and more , join us in 2023 .

Colour of the Year 2023

Hand - picked by Pantone , the color of the year has been named as ‘ Viva Magenta .

Pantone describe the colour as‘brave and fearless , and a pulsating colour whose exuberance encourage a joyous and optimistic jubilation , writing a new narrative . ’

Discover a world of colour and scent in the stunningFloral Marquee ,   bursting with award - winning nurseries and show .

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Sustainable gardening

Whilst your garden might seem to already be very unripened , it can always be greener !

Discover way you could make horticulture more sustainable , like upcycling common point to make stylish feature . What was a pallet , hessian bags , minute of pipework , and tin can , could become a plantation owner , maturate bags , body of water features , and wildlife home ground .

Be inhale by the BBC Gardeners ’ World Magazine editorial team as they ’re joined by expert to give lead and advice .

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Grow your own food

Looking to go from land to supper this year ? Get smart as a whip advice from the National Allotment Society at the case .

Peat-free gardening

Learn about the latest peat - free compost from exhibitors who can provide face - to - face advice .

Indoor gardening

Foliage does n’t just belong to out of doors – bring in nature indoors and be inspired by the Houseplant Hub .

Mindful gardening

Beautiful Borders returns   with this yr ’s subject ‘ My Garden Escape ’ to give you   space savvy ideas .

Gardening on a budget

find different way you could let your garden bloom under a tighter budget , with advice from expert gardeners .

Fermented foods

Visit the BBC Good Food Summer Show ( with free unveiling with your ticket ! ) and discover the latest foodie trends .

Feeling inspired ? Find out what else is happening at BBC Gardeners ’ World exist this June !

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