Your neighbors will be amazed at how fast you've become a wildlife whisperer. With just one simple structure in your garden, you can easily transform your home into the ultimate wildlife hangout and it's even easier to build than a simple planter box.
Bring Hummingbirds Right To Your Window!
Check PriceThese Habitat tripods aren't just unique garden ornaments. They were designed to help address three major problems in wildlife conservation: the availability of food, shelter, and nesting sites. The unique way in which different species use various levels of vertical space provides the answer to this problem.
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What Advantages Do Tripods Have Over Traditional Wildlife Viewing Features?
Regular bird feeders only bring in birds. They do not help butterflies, bees, or any other helpful insects. Butterfly gardens are pretty, but they do not offer a home for birds. Tripods offer integrated ecosystem stacks and help many different species at the same time.
The three-layer design takes inspiration from natural forest edge environments where wildlife activity is at its peak. The canopy layer is occupied by climbing plants that provide nectar and nesting sites. The protective and sheltering mid-shrub layers, the ground layers offer foraging and overwintering sites.
Supplies Needed (All Standard Materials)
In the case of tripod construction, first obtain three 8-foot cedar or locust wood posts, along with outdoor screws/wire and some basic manual tools. Since both Cedar and locust are safe for wildlife and will not leach any harmful chemicals, they are safe for use outdoors. Cedar will naturally resist rot and insect damage, while locust posts will last for decades without any type of treatment.
Do not use wooden tripods for pressure-treated lumber as it has chemicals that kill beneficial insects and microorganisms in the soil. While they are not as appealing, metal tripods do work. Besides being more aesthetically appealing and anchoring climbing plants better, wood is also more functional.
Step by Step Guide to Construction
To start, arrange your three posts in a triangle formation, with 4-6 feet space between each base. The wider the base is, the more space you will have to plant things. Galvanized screws or strong wire can be used to fasten the tops.
Dig holes 12-18 inches deep for maximum stability for each post. If your soil is clay, add gravel to each hole to improve drainage. If your soil is sandy, you will need to dig deeper holes to prevent post damage from wind.
You can place horizontal supports on both sides. This will create extra climbing surfaces and additional perching sites for birds.
Selecting Plants That Affect Wildlife Most
Choose climbing plants that bloom at different times of the year to ensure a continual stream of nectar sources. For nectar and fruit sources for birds from spring through fall, consider native honeysuckle, trumpet vine, or hardy kiwi.
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Think about planting shrubs that will grow to be 2-4 ft tall. Native elderberry, serviceberry, and spicebush will provide berries and shelter for ground feeding birds.
Native wildflowers and grasses provide overwintering locations for beneficial insects, nesting materials for finches and seeds.
Combination of Plants Depending on Climate
Honeysuckle or bittersweet will work best on the tripod along with some elderberry and native grasses below for the colder climates (zones 3-6). They withstand the winter and provide vital early nectar resources when there are very few other plants that are blooming.
For warmer zones (8-11) the addition of beautyberry and native sedges can also be paired with coral honeysuckle and/or passion vine. All of these plants can bloom nearly year-round in mild regions.
A combination of native clematis, desert willow, and bunch grasses will require little water to establish. A great option for dry climate gardeners looking for drought-tolerant plants!
Effort-Reducing Maintenance
The appeal of tripod gardens is how much less time and effort are required to keep them maintained. Climbing plants form a self-weeding mechanism and significantly reduce the amount of time hand weeding will take.
To manage growth, annual pruning is necessary, but with many wildlife-friendly climbers, it is best if they are left alone as much as possible. There is no need to deadhead, as the seeds are great food sources for birds and helpful insects.
Mulching using leaves or other natural materials feeds soil organisms and helps beneficial insects in the soil.
Wildlife You'll Attract
Look for hummingbirds at trumpet-shaped flowers, songbirds as they collect berries and insects, and native bees as they pollinate the smaller flowers. Butterflies will also visit plants for nectar and to lay their eggs.
Planting lower level vegetation will attract fireflies, beetles, and salamanders, which will help with pest control in the garden. Many people are surprised by the amount and different types of wildlife that a small structure can support.
To keep track of who visits you, you can keep a journal or take some photos. You'll be amazed by the diversity of species that show up during the first season of growth.
Seasonal Care Calendar
In Spring it's time for applying fresh mulch as well as doing some pruning on aggressive climbers. In Summer, watering will required for first year until roots are established. Weekly watering is needed.
In the fall, it is the perfect time to put in new plants in your garden, as well as prune the perennial and annual flowering plants. Don't cut the seed heads off, they are food for the birds in winter! For the winter maintenance, it is best to only remove the dead or damaged wooden pieces.
There is little to no input required after the second year. As they age, the tripod gardens become self-sustaining wildlife habitats and improve more and more.
