With a scorching heatwave on its way, birdbaths are a great way to draw wildlife into your garden. The welcome respite could give you the best chance of seeing the striking blue tit, saluting a magpie or hearing the chirpy calls of a sparrow this summer.
However, as useful as they are, birdbaths are breeding grounds for algae. The green organism can quickly turn a refreshing cool-down into a slimy bath, making it less inviting for birds flying past. But an unusual and unbelievably cheap penny hack could slow down algae growth and help attract more birds to your garden this summer.
There is science behind the madness. When you put a 1p or 2p coin in a birdbath, the copper helps trigger a chemical reaction in the water, which can naturally prevent the development of algae.
Rocky Trifari, bird enthusiast and owner of The Rocky Safari, told Homes and Gardens: “Copper is a natural biocide with properties that interfere with the biological processes algae and other microorganisms rely on.
“When copper ions leach into the water, they promote an environment that discourages the growth of green algae, one of the main causes of that slimy, dirty water found in birdbaths.”
Before you add the coin, clean your birdbath thoroughly with hot, soapy water, and then pop in the copper coin to keep algae at bay.
Although the garden hack won’t prevent algae from ever developing, it helps maintain the levels in your birdbath between washes, and it’s far more economical than purification disks.
According to Better Homes and Gardens, water should be replaced every two to four days, and when refilling the bath, you should wipe the basin out with a cloth to get rid of any residue. If it is still dirty after wiping, then a thorough clean is necessary.