plants in new aviary

[Pete Sara]

the only problem with panic grass it can grow over 2 metres. but its good it can be cut back...

[Diane]

I have several pots of a grass I got from the guy I bought some of my birds from, I think its Johnson grass. It grows in a clump then sends off a new shoot that I can break off and start another plant with, Ive got about 6 on the go at the moment. I know from last time it had seed heads the birds love it but I didnt have a lot then.

[toothlessjaws]

hey mick, great pics. i am insanely jealous. i think your aviary looks amazing.

can i offer some advice however...

your soil looks pretty dry and dusty - when its like that it usually retains virtually no water or nutrients. did you fill each hole with mulch, compost or potting mix prior to planting? cos if you didn't and your plants seem to be growing very slowly that will be the problem.

in addition to this i actually build a small raised "ring" of soil around the plants base, a retaining wall of sorts, so that when you water your plants the water cannot run away from surface and absorbs properly into the root ball. i then fill the inside of this with coarse mulch like woodchips to further help retain moisture.

i've just moved spent the last 10 months trying to establish a garden in soil that looked similar. and i quickly learnt that there was little point planting unless i had invigorated the soil first. in many cases its actually worth digging up the plants and replanting them in better soil before spring arrives if you are concerned.

oh, and they are not "bamboo plants" they are palms! ;)

[Mickp]

the soil around here is pretty much all dry & dusty, not much nutrients in it at all. before each plant went in I dug a 2 to 3 foot deep hole into which went heaps of cow *censored* and slow release fertilizers.
with the water, it is set up so that when the drippers are turned on the water will pool around the base of each plant.
my personal preference is not to use mulch in the aviaries. dont want to take the chance of bacteria/fungal problems.

with the bamboo plants/palms I stole them from the other halfs shadehouse .
thank you for giving me the correct name

[toothlessjaws]

good one mick. should be okay then.

i have the himalayan weeping bamboo in my aviary. its very fine and grasslike, clumps and only grows to about 2 meters high at best. if you do want to try bamboo - its the one to get.

i think i'm going to follow your lead and gets some climbers through. i bet the birds love them..

[Mickp]

only job I have left to complete the aviary is to put a second layer of wire in. approx 150mm gap between the two pieces. am hoping that by doing this the climbers will grow over both creating areas were the birds will feel more comfortable, I should be able to place a few nests in there and the birds may be inclined to build their own from scratch. could also lead to less abandoned nests.

[Fischer]

Looking forward to seeing the aviary completed and the birds in Mick, and it will really look great in say 12 months time when the plants are more established, the double wire setup with the vine is a great idea and I think your finches will fall all over each other trying to nest in there

[finchbreeder]

Is it only in warm climates that planted aviarys seem to attract mice like jam attracts ants?
Gave up on the idea of planting my aviaries because of the little gray beasts, and just move pots in and out. But it is tedious, and am going to trial hanging baskets of seeding grasses.
LML

[gomer]

Is it only in warm climates that planted aviarys seem to attract mice like jam attracts ants?
Gave up on the idea of planting my aviaries because of the little gray beasts, and just move pots in and out. But it is tedious, and am going to trial hanging baskets of seeding grasses.
LML

Do you dunk your pots in water, for a extended time to drown any of those little grey beasts.that may be stowaways

[Fischer]

Hi Finchbreeder, no I wouldn't say it's just the warmer climes from what I've seen around here, a few of my mates here have earth floor planted aviaries and the mice are still a problem, in the last few weeks we have had morning temp's on some days of 2 to 3 degrees minus, I think the little buggers just burrow deeper That's why I'm putting all my new aviaries on concrete but it's expensive

That's a good idea fully dunking the pots to drown stowaways, I never thought of that

Cheers Tony