Gardening with Gary

Gardening Advice from an Expert

Scarecrows

How can I make a quick and effective scarecrow? The birds are ruining my corn!!!

A. This is a fun project, which kids [of all ages] like to participate in!

Steps:

1. Cut a 10-foot bamboo pole into two pieces, one 4 feet long and the other 6 feet long.

2. Place the 4-foot section across the 6-foot piece, 1 foot down from the top.

3. Wire the two pieces together with floral wire, twine or raffia.

4 Place an old shirt on the short crosspiece of the frame and button the shirt in front.

5. Stuff the shirt loosely with straw, dry leaves or rags.

6. Place gloves at the end of the "arms" and secure them with rubber bands.

7. Pull one leg of a pair of trousers onto the long bamboo pole. The other leg will hang freely.

8. Tuck the stuffed shirt into the waist of the trousers.

9. Secure the waist of the trousers to the pole with a rope or belt, tying the belt or rope to the crosspiece if necessary to keep the pants from falling down.

10. Stuff the pants with the stuffing material of your choice.

11. Make a head for your scarecrow by stuffing straw into a pillowcase. Tie the pillowcase opening onto the top of the long stake with rope.

12. Draw a face with felt-tip pens, or glue on buttons for eyes and yarn for a mouth.

13.Stick the scarecrow in the ground or tie it securely in another location.

Tips:

Be creative! Scarecrows can be male or female.

Dress up your scarecrow according to the occasion, perhaps in a tuxedo for a formal affair, or a cocktail dress if you're hosting a casual evening with friends.

If you decide not to make a scarecrow head, simply place a hat on the top of the long pole, stapling it to the bamboo so it stays in place.

Another way to avoid the pants falling off is to use overalls and secure them over the crosspiece.

Warnings:

Don't expect your scarecrow to scare off crows. They usually aren't afraid of such things. Have fun!

from eHow.com