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Primroses flowers eaten

phil jonesphil jones Posts: 18
in Problem solving
Who's the culprit? Have put coffee granules around so dont think its slugs! Mice a possibility, or birds. Plenty of sparrows who only seem interested in having dirt baths! The common wild ones are left alone only go for colours! Would a garlic spray help? 

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited March 2021
    My money's on sparrows ... and unfortunately they have no sense of taste, apparently ... so garlic spray won't work.  People used to  string sewing cotton thread on sticks over primroses and polyanthus to keep the sparrows away, but I'm pretty sure it didn't work and there were stories of birds becoming entangled and strangled etc. 
    Wildlife eh ... doesn't seem to get aesthetics  ;)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • SuesynSuesyn Posts: 664
    It's definitely sparrows, not only do they chop the heads of primulas and primroses they steal the coir lining in the hanging baskets and untie the twine on climbers.
    I can watch them for hours! 
  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,511
    Another vote for  House Sparrows.  Please do not use cotton thread on sticks, it could be lethal for the sparrows. 
    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    Agree house sparrows.
    This started last year for the first time and this year I collected flowers for wine before the sparrows had their way.
    They are still pulling them off.
    Not sure if they are after the pollen/nectar or just love to pull the flower heads off.
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