Protecting artificial grass from bird seed and mess

longwalks1

We’ve a small area of lawn that we’d like to lay as artificial grass (I know some people hate it), but we’d like to keep up our bird feeding station too.  Our old lawn (it’s more a mud patch with a few blades of grass on it) has a few large lumps of hardened, dried sunflower seed mess where there smaller birds seem to drop seeds for the larger birds.  
How can we keep the artificial lawn under the feeding station clear of dropped seeds, any ideas please? 

sheramber

Sweep it regularly. You need to do that anyway to clear any leaves or debris that collect  on it.

greyteam1959

Don't use artificial grass.
Use paving slabs.
The bits of bird seed, bird poo & the oil the seed it contains will turn the artificial grass into a stinking mess in a few weeks.
Probably the very worst thing you could use.

Black_Cat2

I wonder if perhaps you could use those tray type things on your feeders which might catch some of the stuff?  Obviously won't catch the poop but might catch the majority of the seeds.  Pigeons tend to peck at the overspill around my feeders and love sunflower seeds.  Might be elbow grease for the rest 💪

twopenny

I've tried the trays and they are ok as long as you don't get any wind. As soon as there's a decent breze they empty and can sway the seed more like a sail.

What about cutting a circle or square (heck you could make a star or be creative) around the feeder and laying it to weed membrane and gravel to make a feature. I'd put a small edging round it too to stop the spill onto the grass.

[Deleted User]

I think that gravel idea is probably the best, @greyteam1959 , that debris you described is absolutely rank and lying on a material of that grass will be revolting - had it happen on a normal grass area and it ruined it.
The gravel would be easier to maintain and look better when the bits of seed etc do drop.

I have artificial grass in one of my gardens and, in my own opinion, it's best suited to an area of no 'traffic' - be it bird, animal, or human 😉 
Yes, there is some suited to heavy 'traffic', i know.

-taff

I wouldn't put gravel down, the seeds will end up sprouting in it and you won't be able to clear the mess as easily as you could with slabs. You can pressure wash the grass if you do decide to have it but honeslty, you're always like to have mess unless you get a larger edged table feeder of some kind and even then , there'll be droppings.

Slabs are the easiest thing to keep clean I would think.

Farway

One observation if I may.

How labour saving cutting grass morphs into task of washing slabs, hosing fake grass, raking / weeding gravel etc etc

Be careful what you wish for