# What Can I Plant Under Bird Feeders with Sunflower Seeds on the Ground?
Sunflower seeds are a favorite food of songbirds. Unfortunately, sunflower seed hulls contain a toxin that inhibits growth in some plants -- a process known as allelopathy -- so anything growing beneath your feeders may be at risk when the hulls fall to the ground. By taking some precautions, you can grow plants underneath your bird feeders.
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Experiment
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Not every plant is affected by the allelopathic properties of sunflower hulls; however, no definitive list of successful plants exists because the selection process is based upon observation and anecdotal evidence. Grow different varieties of plants and see which ones thrive under your feeder. If your plants experience leaf wilting, yellow leaves or death, the sunflower hulls are the likely culprits.
Clean
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Rain leaches the toxic compounds out of the sunflower hulls if they remain on the ground long enough. By raking and disposing of the sunflower hulls regularly, the toxins won't have a chance to build up in the soil.
Seed Mixtures
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Fill your bird feeders with seed mixtures that do not contain whole sunflower seeds, or use hull-less sunflower seed (the seed coats are removed). This step eliminates the toxin problem, and you can grow anything beneath your feeders.
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