DIY A Charming Bird Feeder That Birds Will Love With An Old Plant Pot

Providing a nutritious snack for your local birds can help them brave the colder months. If you want to create the perfect bird-friendly garden, you can craft a DIY bird feeder to hold suet or fat balls, giving your feathered friends the extra energy they need. Small terracotta pots are often left over from gardening and will create an adorable look for your homemade feeder. If you don't have any on hand, they're rather inexpensive to purchase, which should keep this project budget friendly. By threading rope or wire through the drainage hole in the pot, you can hang the planter upside down for a cute bell-shaped feeder that can be packed full of food.

Hanging a branch beneath the plant pot provides a spot for birds to perch while enjoying their meal and could help to attract more birds to your feeder. Because the planter is oriented upside down and the food inside is fatty and somewhat moist, this feeder is best suited for colder temperatures. In warmer conditions, the suet could melt and fall out of the feeder, making a mess. Alternatively, an old terracotta plant pot and saucer could be transformed into a platform seed feeder that sits on the ground. With this option, your feeder can be used year-round.

To make a simple bird feeder out of a plant pot, thread a piece of thick rope through the pot's drainage hole, so that a loop is coming out of the bottom. Tie a knot inside the pot to hold the string in place, allowing some to dangle down for attaching the perch. Alternatively, wrap wire around a small stick, wedging this inside the bottom of the pot so that the wire can be used as the hanger. Stuff fat balls – or your own homemade suet, seed, and lard mix – into the upside-down plant pot and hang your feeder outside. If the perch is wobbly, you can use two more strings to stabilize each end of the twig and attach them to the hanger.

For folks who would prefer a feeder that's more suited for birdseed than a wetter mixture, you'll need a saucer or dish to go along with your basic plant pot. While smaller pots are necessary for the hanging feeder, you can use any size for this version as it'll be sitting on the ground. Set the pot upside down, apply some strong glue to the bottom, set your saucer on top, then fill it with birdseed. If you'd like, you can paint the outside of your feeder to add a pop of decoration, or leave it plain for a charming, rustic vibe.