Fiddle Leaf Fig

If you've ever found house finches, mourning doves or robins setting up house in your hanging baskets, you're definitely not alone. At first, it's kind of thrilling—those baby birds are so ugly they're adorable, right?

But let's be real—hanging baskets usually live right where we spend the most time in spring and summer: balconies, patios, porches. A nesting family can make quite a mess. I'm talking bird droppings everywhere, all over that lovely outdoor space.

Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, it's usually illegal to move an active nest. (For more details, see this post from Cornell Lab of Ornithology's NestWatch.) So the best approach, I've learned, is to discourage birds from nesting in your containers before they even start.

Here's what's worked for me when it comes to keeping birds out of hanging baskets:

1. Give them better options by hanging birdhouses or nesting boxes somewhere else in the garden.2. Lay chicken wire or something similar right over the soil in the basket.3. Poke short skewers into the soil—not sharp enough to hurt a bird, just enough to make it an uninviting spot to build.4. Set up some fake predators like rubber snakes or an owl statue nearby.5. Hang streamers, wind chimes, or wind socks alongside the basket; the movement really does keep them away.

6. Pull out any nesting material the moment you spot it.

If you're too late and a nest has already appeared, you'll just have to wait it out. Honestly, despite the mess, watching the little family grow is pretty special. You can still care for your plant too—just water the basket slowly from an angle that won't drench the nest.

Keep in mind that many birds, like house finches and robins, raise two broods. Once the first brood has flown off for good, you can clear out the old nest. Then go ahead and follow the steps above to keep them from building again.