Strawberries and Birds

How do you all get some fruit instead of feeding the flocks? I guess I could go to the expense of netting but sheesh. In years past they hadn't seemed too interested in them but this year I think they put out an alert for all their relatives to come feast. lol

This message was edited May 18, 2008 5:11 PM

I tried various methods but only found netting to work.

Someone said they had luck with putting out painted red rocks before the strawberries ripened - the birds would try those out and decide there was nothing but rocks there, so when the berries showed up they would ignore them. I tried that method and it did not work for me.

Scott

Yeah well thanks anyway. Netting is such a pain in the rear to handle. I had to resort to that on the blackberries. Dang birds were going along picking them off the *day before* they were ripe and it took me a while to figger out why none were ripening. I've attached the netting on the blackberries more or less permanently to poles so I can raise it and guess the strawberries will have to be done the same way. Last year I didn't get any strawberries to speak of because of the hard freeze but year before last I had a bumper crop. The foliage that year was so dense the birds really didn't bother them. I picked about ten gallons.

I had no trouble at all with netting. I build rectangularly frames by screwing pieces of 1 x 2 together and then cut sections of bird netting to fit the frames (with enough to do a double layer) and then use a staple gun to attach the netting to the frames. Then it's not a nightmare to deal with, but just panels you lay down and can move around.

You do need to put some kind of framework in the center for the panels to lay on, and use bricks or something in the corners to keep the squirrels out. I didn't lose a single fruit to birds once I put in the netting, and I opened up the bed every day to harvest.

Thanks. Frames sound like they would be a big improvement over hanging them from poles like I'm doing.

I second the frames for netting. I had to cut a catbird out of the loose netting on my blueberries after I beat my cats to the bird flailing and flapping in the net. I have resigned myself to just share with the birds from now n.

If my only choice was to grow without nets, I'd simply not grow strawberries, blackberries, etc. There are just too many squirrels and birds.

The mulberries are ripening now and they seem more interested in them. Only about a fourth of my patch is producing this year since I replanted the rest of it but next year I'll see about some sort of frame for a net.

Hope this helps...I purchased a plastic blowup rattlesnake, and every other day, I move it around! I haven't had one bird bother my berries! I've started collecting them! I think Armstrong Nursery sells them! It's so funny to watch people jump back! I just hope the joke won't be on me the day I think it's plastic and....well....you get the picture!