Hi,

there is a theory that extra berries on the shrubs means a hard winter and
nature is taking care of all the birds etc.

This sounds doubtful if subjected to logical analysis anyway - my 2p theory
is that more berries means a good summer, and good summers (lots of high
pressure and clear skies) are often followed by hard winters (lots of high
pressure and clear skies).

Be that as it may:

we had loads of berries on the shrubs last year - after a wonderful summer.

There are still loads of berries on the shrub by our steps (cotoneaster
springs to mind, but that may be the other one).
I need to prune this back because it is invading the area of the steps and I
do like to go down into the garden :-)
However it is still loaded with red berries, and pruning back will invlove
throwing away most of these berries.

So; are the birds still dependant on last years berries, or will this years
growth be feeding them? I know the pigeons are doing well off the buds on
our plum trees.

As a first stage I have cleared the top layer of growth, exposing the
berries underneath.
I will watch for a bit in case the birds start stripping these, but I
suspect that nature has over provided in this case.

Obviously I don't want to remove a valuable resource for the wild life, but
how long do they depend on last years berries?

TIA
Dave R
--

Hi,

there is a theory that extra berries on the shrubs means a hard winter and
nature is taking care of all the birds etc.

more likely shrub trying to increase its chances of propagating I should
have thought

Hi,

there is a theory that extra berries on the shrubs means a hard winter and
nature is taking care of all the birds etc.

more likely shrub trying to increase its chances of propagating I should
have thought

Hi,

there is a theory that extra berries on the shrubs means a hard winter and
nature is taking care of all the birds etc.

more likely shrub trying to increase its chances of propagating I should
have thought

"Oxymel_of_Squill" wrote in message
news:M%ebc.3747$4N3.2047@newsfe1-win...
Hi,

there is a theory that extra berries on the shrubs means a hard winter
and
nature is taking care of all the birds etc.

more likely shrub trying to increase its chances of propagating I should
have thought



Or the cold weather has killed the birds so the berries don't get eaten...

--
Martin & Anna Sykes
( Remove x's when replying )
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm

"Oxymel_of_Squill" wrote in message
news:M%ebc.3747$4N3.2047@newsfe1-win...
Hi,

there is a theory that extra berries on the shrubs means a hard winter
and
nature is taking care of all the birds etc.

more likely shrub trying to increase its chances of propagating I should
have thought



Or the cold weather has killed the birds so the berries don't get eaten...

--
Martin & Anna Sykes
( Remove x's when replying )
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm

Oxymel_of_Squill wrote:
:: Hi,
::
:: there is a theory that extra berries on the shrubs means a hard
:: winter and nature is taking care of all the birds etc.
:
: more likely shrub trying to increase its chances of propagating I
: should have thought

And even though it's a quaint idea.... shrubs haven't got any better
forecasters than the met office, or a crystal ball

In article , David W.E.
Roberts writes

Obviously I don't want to remove a valuable resource for the wild life, but
how long do they depend on last years berries?

otoh - we're now in the breeding season and food requirements are high
otoh - fruit feeders have other sources, such as nectar from nipping off
buds, and oozing sap from wounds in trees.

You could always provide substitutes - raisins and sultanas (blackbirds
and starlings appear fond of these), and the last of your stored apples
which are beginning to go off.

It won't be many more weeks before we're back in the fruit season with
the first of the strawberries.

IME cotonoeaster and viburnum are a last resort - which is why you still
have berries on them now!
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

Oxymel_of_Squill wrote:
:: Hi,
::
:: there is a theory that extra berries on the shrubs means a hard
:: winter and nature is taking care of all the birds etc.
:
: more likely shrub trying to increase its chances of propagating I
: should have thought

And even though it's a quaint idea.... shrubs haven't got any better
forecasters than the met office, or a crystal ball

In article , David W.E.
Roberts writes

Obviously I don't want to remove a valuable resource for the wild life, but
how long do they depend on last years berries?

otoh - we're now in the breeding season and food requirements are high
otoh - fruit feeders have other sources, such as nectar from nipping off
buds, and oozing sap from wounds in trees.

You could always provide substitutes - raisins and sultanas (blackbirds
and starlings appear fond of these), and the last of your stored apples
which are beginning to go off.

It won't be many more weeks before we're back in the fruit season with
the first of the strawberries.

IME cotonoeaster and viburnum are a last resort - which is why you still
have berries on them now!
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

"Robert" wrote in message
...
Oxymel_of_Squill wrote:
:: Hi,
::
:: there is a theory that extra berries on the shrubs means a hard
:: winter and nature is taking care of all the birds etc.
:
: more likely shrub trying to increase its chances of propagating I
: should have thought

And even though it's a quaint idea.... shrubs haven't got any better
forecasters than the met office, or a crystal ball

Or else it's all relative... a nice summer always seems to be followed by a
horrible winter... but then, I despise winter in all its forms: mild or
harsh... they're all cold and miserable. (so why the hell do I choose to
live in Winnipeg?!)

"Robert" wrote in message
...
Oxymel_of_Squill wrote:
:: Hi,
::
:: there is a theory that extra berries on the shrubs means a hard
:: winter and nature is taking care of all the birds etc.
:
: more likely shrub trying to increase its chances of propagating I
: should have thought

And even though it's a quaint idea.... shrubs haven't got any better
forecasters than the met office, or a crystal ball

Or else it's all relative... a nice summer always seems to be followed by a
horrible winter... but then, I despise winter in all its forms: mild or
harsh... they're all cold and miserable. (so why the hell do I choose to
live in Winnipeg?!)

In article , David W.E. Roberts
writes
Hi,

there is a theory that extra berries on the shrubs means a hard winter and
nature is taking care of all the birds etc.

This sounds doubtful if subjected to logical analysis anyway - my 2p theory
is that more berries means a good summer, and good summers (lots of high
pressure and clear skies) are often followed by hard winters (lots of high
pressure and clear skies).

Be that as it may:

we had loads of berries on the shrubs last year - after a wonderful summer.

I think that is the reason.

We have three large sycamore trees adjoining the garden and I have never seen so
many of their germinating seeds before. They are everywhere - growing on the
lawn, in the orchard, on the gravel drive, even lodged in the frame of the
trailer. I'm going to have to spend a lot of time pulling them up during the
next few months.
--
Roy Bailey
West Berkshire.

In article , David W.E.
Roberts writes
Hi,

there is a theory that extra berries on the shrubs means a hard winter and
nature is taking care of all the birds etc.

"Old wives tale" is correct :-)

This sounds doubtful if subjected to logical analysis anyway - my 2p theory
is that more berries means a good summer, and good summers (lots of high
pressure and clear skies) are often followed by hard winters (lots of high
pressure and clear skies).

Lots of berries at the end of a summer means that in the previous
summer/autumn, the plant was able to lay down good reserves of energy
with which to produce masses of flowers and then fruit the following
year.

In the UK at least, there is no correlation between good summers and
succeeding, or preceding, hard winters. Indeed, we don't seem to get
hard winters any more!

Be that as it may:

we had loads of berries on the shrubs last year - after a wonderful summer.

There are still loads of berries on the shrub by our steps (cotoneaster
springs to mind, but that may be the other one).
I need to prune this back because it is invading the area of the steps and I
do like to go down into the garden :-)
However it is still loaded with red berries, and pruning back will invlove
throwing away most of these berries.

So; are the birds still dependant on last years berries, or will this years
growth be feeding them? I know the pigeons are doing well off the buds on
our plum trees.

Some birds switch to buds in the spring because they are very nutritious
when growing. Other birds may still feed on berries, but these may have
lost some of their food value through the winter and so be less
attractive.

As a first stage I have cleared the top layer of growth, exposing the
berries underneath.
I will watch for a bit in case the birds start stripping these, but I
suspect that nature has over provided in this case.

Obviously I don't want to remove a valuable resource for the wild life, but
how long do they depend on last years berries?

That all depends on what other food sources are available.

--
Malcolm

In article , Roy Bailey
writes
We have three large sycamore trees adjoining the garden and I have never seen so
many of their germinating seeds before. They are everywhere - growing on the
lawn, in the orchard, on the gravel drive, even lodged in the frame of the
trailer. I'm going to have to spend a lot of time pulling them up during the
next few months.

I have a similar glut, but mine is of cherry laurel.

--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm