Robins Tearing up Mulch around bamboo

[Kanoth]

Well in order to kill the grass in my area that I want my bamboo to spread to I have laid down 3 layers of newspaper and covered that with mulch (actually I have a layer of grass clippings under the newspaper too). The problem I have now is the Robins in my neighborhood keep flying down, hearing the worms under the newspaper doing their best to create some good compost, and tearing through the mulch, through the newspaper, and into the grassclippings. So now I have holes all over my mulch.

What's the best way to stop this? More mulch? Bird scare device?

[Kanoth]

Also, don't get me wrong, once the bamboo is full grown I have no problem with having birds in the bamboo. But right now it's only about 3 feet high.

[CaroleMeckes]

Hi Kanoth,
Just give it some more mulch and maybe some more newspaper and thank the birds for helping to break down the newspaper.
Carole

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Kanoth,
Are you sure it's robins?

I'm a mulch freak - :eek: - and lawn encroachment is my specialty :)

Finishing up with the annual rotation of the mulch around our garden ...

http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/517/thumbs/RotatingMulch060514AuTX2904.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=2981)

We have a resident mulch aerator who provides us with this service during the wee hours of the night. - a possum
I know it a possum because the holes in the mulch are the shape of it's snout.
It's home is in a burrow in the bamboo grove and one of these nights I'll get a pic of it.

It's become second nature for me to pat down any disturbed mulch whenever I'm going for a stroll in the garden.
I suppose you could call it the side-step shuffle.

Mark

[Kanoth]

Yes, I've seen the robins many times. More mulch is probaly in order.

[Mark Meckes]

Oh well, robins will be robins.
I remember them well from up north - they sure can get boisterous at this time of year, defending their patch of the garden.

I only see them nowadays when they migrate here in for winter.

[Kanoth]

We pretty much have them from Feb to Nov.

Also, while I'm on the subject of pests. I'm going to be putting down some ant/grub/everything else killer on my lawn. Since bamboo is a grass will it be okay or should I avoid the area? All the bag says is not to use it near flowerbeds.

[Mark Meckes]

Okay, so it's your robins hanging out in my grove from Nov to Feb ;)

Do you mean like a `weed n feed' lawn concoction or primarily a bug killer?

When we used to have a sizeable lawn, we would eat the shoots that came up there in spring, so I never used these kind of things.

I'm not sure what the robins would think of your idea. :eek:

You might have to work out a deal or an ultimatum with them.

Eat the ants and grubs or your outa here!

Mark

[Kanoth]

It's like a WMD for bugs:
http://www.ortho.com/index.cfm/event/ProductGuide.product/documentId/eb5991d4ca260927e63a69d74f46f38d

Another reason I want the robins gone is they're eating the worms that are composting my lawn clippings. I'll get a picture of my setup sofar and the damage done over lunch.

[Kanoth]

Had to cut the pictures down a bit to meet the requirements but you get the idea. One picture is of the area I'm preparing (still havent mulched entire bed). The other picture is of the torn up paper.

http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/517/thumbs/bamboobed.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=2986&cat=500&ppuser=1682) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/517/thumbs/damage01.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=2987&cat=500&ppuser=1682)