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Produce => Wildlife forum => Topic started by: quizzical1 on February 26, 2007, 23:43:56

Title: Bird food/dried seeds
Post by: quizzical1 on February 26, 2007, 23:43:56
I have a lot of old runner bean, dwarf bean etc, out of date, seed left in the shed on my new plot by the previous tenant. Most of it I would consider to be too old to be viable, as some of it was in bags marked "runner bean seed for 1999", and so on. All in there's possibly nearly a kilo of it. I had already bought new seed for this year before I found it tucked away in a little old cupboard, so don't really need it.

Rather than just bin it, or put it on the compost heap, I was wondering if it could be fed to the birds, by for instance, chopping it up in the food processor and maybe soaking it overnight maybe.

Would the birds be tempted or would I be wasting my time, or even putting them in jeopardy?
Title: Re: Bird food/dried seeds
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on February 27, 2007, 07:39:27
Damp a little and leave it wrapped up in a warm place for a few days. You might get a surprise.
Title: Re: Bird food/dried seeds
Post by: quizzical1 on February 27, 2007, 14:40:44
Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on February 27, 2007, 07:39:27
Damp a little and leave it wrapped up in a warm place for a few days. You might get a surprise.

By that I presume that you mean they might start sprouting? Mmmmmm........
Problem is I've mixed them all together now *%^$"£.
Should be able to sort the french beans from the Runners ok obviously, and there are some of the runners which are black seeded(no idea what they are), and I think some of the others were marked "Longpod" but thats all I know about them.
Title: Re: Bird food/dried seeds
Post by: telboy on February 28, 2007, 21:49:11
Do as R_B suggests,
Might save a few pennies?
Title: Re: Bird food/dried seeds
Post by: quizzical1 on February 28, 2007, 22:10:22
I have some of each different type I could identify wrapped up in damp kitchen roll right now, but if it is viable there's probably as much as I could use for the next 4 or 5 years, by which time the seed I bought for this year would be out of date.
Title: Re: Bird food/dried seeds
Post by: manicscousers on March 01, 2007, 14:07:20
you could always eat the sprouts, someone I know does this with all old seeds, use like beansprouts..never tried it myself  ;D
Title: Re: Bird food/dried seeds
Post by: teresa on March 01, 2007, 21:14:51
Try and see what happens if they do grow put the others in a airtight container stops ageing you never know.