The Marigold Potager – A Zone 3 Prairie Garden

As we slowly start edging towards winter, and the holiday season, my thoughts turn to the birds. Feeding the birds with these super cute birdseed wreaths that look pretty and festive.

I love watching the birds from my office window. Birds of all sorts, from nuthatches and chickadees to fat, happy sapsuckers. They all love these seeded wreaths.

The wreaths look so festive hanging from your tree, fence, or gate, too.  

I make these birdseed wreaths in several sizes – the minis you see here, regular, and large ones with a peanut crust that looks like frosting.

Fair warning… These birdseed wreaths have peanut butter and suet (fat/lard) so are a doggie favourite! Hang them up higher than your doggies can reach ; )

Recipe

• 1.5 cups of suet
• 1 cup of peanut butter (unsweetened, unsalted, absolutely never use birch sugar as it is dangerous for dogs… and dogs love these as much as the birds do)
• 1/2 – 1 cup of cornmeal (*optional)
• 4 cups of bird seed

1. Melt the suet on a low heat, to keep it from burning.
2. Add the peanut butter.
3. Stir continuously till both suet and peanut butter has melted and the mix is smooth.
4. Add birdseeds. Stir till fully coated with the suet mix.
5. Add cornmeal. Mix till fully incorporated.
6. Scoop the seed mix into a mini bundt cake pan to make 6 mini wreaths.

*Suet – you can buy pre-rendered suet in bags or styrofoam meat trays at most all butcher shops or grocery stores. It is clean, easy, and not smelly.

** This mix will also nicely fit into a single bundt cake pan making one larger birdseed wreath. Find that how- to here… Beautiful, All Natural Birdseed Wreaths – The Marigold Potager

They need to set and harden for 12 hours at room temperature, or can be popped into the freezer for a faster chill. I have popped mine outside on the patio table to set overnight. Only do this if you are sure the birds will not find it before you are ready.

You then need something to hang them up with… twine, string, ribbon, lace, any kind you like.

Hang from a branch, fence, or shepherds hook.

Mini birdseed wreaths make fun gifts for the birders on your list. They also sell well at Christmas markets. Make them in all different sizes. I used to sell these minis in sets of 3.

Happy Birding – Tanja