topic Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It in Community Chat

How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

NickNack — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 01:08:11 GMT

I have a hanging fern on my front porch. My favorite bird, a Carolina Wren, is sitting on a nest in it. I was taking it down and watering around the nest, but now she's sitting on it all the time. It really bothers her when I look in it.

It wouldn't bother me to just let the fern die, but the Carolina Wren probably wants the coverage that the plant gives the nest. If the fern died, it would be pretty open. I don't know what to do.

By my calculations, the eggs should hatch around the 22nd. It may be a little sooner than that, because I'm not exactly sure when she started incubating the eggs. Then the babies will fledge about two weeks after that. That means there's about another month.

I'm sure others have had this situation. What did you do?

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

RedTop — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 01:10:15 GMT

Spray bottle and mist the plant.

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

NickNack — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 01:12:56 GMT

@RedTop wrote:
Spray bottle and mist the plant.

@RedTop I could do that, but with our 90 degree weather I don't think just misting it will keep it alive. It will be hotter than that before the babies fledge.

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

Trailrun23 — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 01:27:18 GMT

I know this will sound ridiculous, but could you keep watering it but do it from underneath using something like a turkey baster?

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

Tshirtgal — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 01:29:53 GMT

I would buy a watering can with a long neck/nose watering can. You can water quietly and slowly. No hose noise, strong spray of water or disruption. It works for me.

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

Kachina624 — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 01:35:51 GMT

@NickNack My sister has this problem, also with a Carolina Wren, and says she's been watering around the edges with a watering can with a spout.

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

ECBG — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 01:38:50 GMT

I'm sure you are getting wonderful input. I would also ck with @Bird mama

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

MyShadowLove — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 01:55:24 GMT

@NickNack...I've had this happen too and also in my window box....As others have posted, just water carefully around the nest with a watering can that has a long spout...Mama and her brood will be just fine and your plant will do well also...It's wonderful having such a close-up view.

Enjoy!

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

Cakers3 — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 01:55:37 GMT

@NickNack The bird is beautiful.

Is your planter attached to a dish where the water drains into?

You could use the long nose watering can to put the water in the dish- the plant will still draw up the water especially since the roots are at the bottom.

I have always watered my plants from the bottom up.

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

Foxxee — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 02:05:14 GMT

Can you watch to see when she leaves the nest to get food?

After the babies hatch, she will be doing that a lot.

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

NickNack — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 02:10:14 GMT

Thank you everyone for the feedback. My watering can does have a long spout. I think I'll do as @Tshirtgal @Kachina624 and @MyShadowLove suggested and just water slowly around the nest.

I've been taking the hanging fern down to water it but think I can tell where the nest is and just leave it hanging while watering. Thank you so much, everyone, for helping me think through this. @Cakers3 @ECBG @RedTop @Trailrun23 @Foxxee

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

Tinkrbl44 — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 02:38:53 GMT

@NickNack wrote:
I have a hanging fern on my front porch. My favorite bird, a Carolina Wren, is sitting on a nest in it. I was taking it down and watering around the nest, but now she's sitting on it all the time. It really bothers her when I look in it.

It wouldn't bother me to just let the fern die, but the Carolina Wren probably wants the coverage that the plant gives the nest. If the fern died, it would be pretty open. I don't know what to do.

By my calculations, the eggs should hatch around the 22nd. It may be a little sooner than that, because I'm not exactly sure when she started incubating the eggs. Then the babies will fledge about two weeks after that. That means there's about another month.

I'm sure others have had this situation. What did you do?

@NickNack

I have to qualify this by saying I haven't tried it personally, but a gardner friend frequently does this in the hot months ..... put an ice cube or two in spots where they can be tucked in, or when she jumps off to get a worm or something. The cubes melt and while the water that seeps into the soil could be chilly, it won't be chilly for long, especially if the soil is warm. An ice cube is at least 1 liquid ounce, and won't disrupt her nesting duties.

Throwing a couple cubes into any high hanging plant can help to keep the soil moist. Like I said ... I've been told it actually works.

Has anyone else here ever tried this?

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

Bird mama — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 12:57:48 GMT

@NickNack I just wanted to stop by and say Bless you for caring so much about the little wren nesting in your plant. You're right in that she picked the plant for cover from predators and you've received excellent suggestions about keeping the plant alive while the parents incubate their little ones.

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

NickNack — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 16:09:23 GMT

@Bird mama wrote:
@NickNack I just wanted to stop by and say Bless you for caring so much about the little wren nesting in your plant. You're right in that she picked the plant for cover from predators and you've received excellent suggestions about keeping the plant alive while the parents incubate their little ones.

@Bird mama Thank you @Bird mama . I do love birds and all wildlife. I have a bluebird with her second nest in a nest box in my back yard. I love them and worry about them until they leave the nest. They're one of my greatest pleasures.

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

Big Joanie — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 00:22:15 GMT

Hate to say it .. but I would sacrifice the plant for the birds ....

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

Tinkrbl44 — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 00:47:39 GMT

@Big Joanie wrote:
Hate to say it .. but I would sacrifice the plant for the birds ....

@Big Joanie

Ordinarily, I would, too. We can always buy another plant. The main concern is that she chose that place to nest because it provides her with some coverage and helps hide her from predators. The healthy stalks and leaves protect them all. The plant being watered helps keep the babies safe.

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

Big Joanie — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 13:47:35 GMT

Very true .....

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

ValuSkr — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 14:27:00 GMT

I think you could water it with a watering can without disturbing the nest too much. Mother might fly off but she'll return. It's a delicate situation, to be sure!

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

NickNack — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 19:10:58 GMT

@Big Joanie @Tinkrbl44 As Tinkkrbl44 said, I want to keep the plant alive to protect the babies. I don't want bare leaves over the nest.

I believe I said that I wouldn't mind at all letting the plant die except for that reason.

Re: How To Water Hanging Plant With Nest In It

Imaoldhippie — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 19:21:30 GMT

@NickNack ...........get one of those long neck bulb waterers that you fill the bulb and stick the long neck into the soil and it waters as necessary. Sorry I dont know what they are called.