This may not be the place to post this, and I apologise if it's not. Silly question, really. The pole supporting my bird table snapped (a seagull, probably, wish I'd been looking out of the window at the time), and the easiest and most accessible replacement would be a length of copper pipe from the plumber on the corner of the street. However, I have a feeling copper is toxic to plants,(my mother had stories of copper nails being used to kill trees blocking someone's view), and I wonder if the foot or so of pipe thrust into the ground is going to harm anything growing near it? I can't think of anyone else to ask... and I'm sure someone here will know. No, there isn't anywhere to site the table that doesn't have something growing there, the back garden is either paved, or flowerbed.
I'd not worry about it, the amounts of copper that would leach into the soil would be far too small to harm the plants. People often spray copper-based fungicides directly on plants at vastly higher concentrations.
nic, will leave the question on copper to more knowledgeable folk. Have you thought of a feeding pole. We have ones similar to these. They just have a prong that you push into the soil/lawn/garden. Any good garden centre should stock a good range. http://www.wildforms.co.uk/html/bird_feeder_hooks__tree_hooks_.html
Thank you MichaelF, I'll trust your judgement. I know about copper fungicides, bordeaux mixture and such, but where I impale the bird table is in the same square(imagine a chess board, but muddled,my back garden) is a much treasured and huge cyclamen corm, which gives huge pleasure in November. which is always a bonus,and I'd really hate to lose it. Silver surfer, those are brilliant, but what I'm looking for is a pole for a plastic tray thingy, easily cleaned,and not available anymore.
As Michael says, I wouldn't worry about any significant amount of copper leaching out, and the pipe would naturally tarnish to an attractive verdigris which would also seal the surface. Copper's quite bendy though, you'd probably need at least 22mm diameter if the bird table is any weight, and it's not cheap these days either. Depending on the price you can get the pipe for you might be better off paying the extra and going for something like Silver suggested. Edit - Nic your post just appeared while I was writing this reply. I think the main thing about copper is that the surface corrodes and then seals the main body of copper from further decay. If there was a toxic risk from metallic copper they wouldn't use it for potable water pipes.
I'd think the Cyclamen would be at much higher risk from excessive doses of 'fertiliser' applied by the birds using the table ;-)
Thank you all very much. If the plumber on the corner has an offcut of 22mm that he's prepared to let me have for a reasonable price, I'll go with that; it'll save me driving miles to a garden centre and spending lots of money because I've gone all that way and I've got the car. Really, cyclamens don't need extra feeding? Not that I have ever fed this one, it came from a late friend's garden, transplanted so fast that it may not have noticed, and it has flowered every year since. It's very nearly the size of a dinner plate. If the birds are likely to annoy it, I'll move the table to a square with something indestructable in it, like pulmonaria.
It's the excessive amount of bird droppings that can accumulate under a feeder - it can be enough to be toxic to some plants. If it was just a small amount, it would be OK.
Hi, You are probably OK, but there is a possibility of significant corrosion and therefore high copper levels in certain soils/situations. Acidic soils high in organic matter and with high rainfall can cause high rates of corrosion. Also high soil ammonia can cause high corrosion ....so ? problem from bird droppings. However, if there was a problem, I think it would be very localised and slow to develop. Your Cyclamen would show signs of trouble/be performing poorly well before it died - giving you time to remove it/change the soil. Once contaminated with copper, soil is very difficult to decontaminate. Overall, though, I really do not think there is much to worry about. I have to say that a copper pole would seem an expensive option to me and not very resistant to bending / weight of seagulls. I was only in Aberdeen a few times, and always in the summer - but I do remember strong cold cold winds trying to push me over! Good Luck Brian
I was only thinking about copper as there is a plumber's office on the corner of our road, and he's likely to have an offcut hanging around, and it's easier for me than trailing out of town to a builder's merchant or garden centre. The original pole was plastic covered steel, I think, and had half rusted through at soil level, collapsing when the gull landed. I don't actually put out stuff for them, but they're clever birds and soon work out how to land in what is a very small area, since we lost the rowan in the corner, they can now get in quite easily. I need to get the table above cat reach, as there's a couple round here capable of having a go at getting little birds off the table, I've seen them try.
