Answer:
Stayhomemomof2,
Bird watching can be an enjoyable pastime, unless of course, it means watching them swoop in and make a shambles out of your garden plants. Here are a few things to try:
Barriers
Netting or Fencing: Use specially designed plastic bird netting (available at garden stores) to drape over the mature plants birds are pecking at. Protect newly planted seeds by planting them in indented furrows and laying a strip of chicken wire over each row. Hold the wire down using small rocks or sticks.
Shade cloths or floating row covers: Shade cloths are usually placed over rows of plants and secured with stakes or supports, to protect them from intense summer heat (usually used on cool season crops). The cloths come in varying "shade percentages", each indicating how much light it allows in. Floating row covers are somewhat similar to shade cloths. They let light and moisture in, while protecting plants from insects, birds, and small animals. They are usually draped over plants or secured with stakes or canes.
Cages: Build a quasi cage using small twigs or branches (or leftover fencing) around individual plants.
Scare Tactics (sound, movement, & light)
Pseudo Predators: Scarecrows & mannequins make good garden sentries, plus they add a whimsical touch to the garden. In order for them to be effective, you need to move them from time to time and change their look. You can also find large inflatable balls with menacing eyes printed on the front at some home and garden centers (or online). Try fake plastic owls or making a faux predatory bird by sticking feathers into a large potato and hanging it from a nearby tree.
Reflective objects: Hang shiny things from nearby trees, stakes, or from the plants themselves. Try CDs, aluminum foil, small ornaments covered in mirrors (think disco balls) or reflective streamers. All of these tend to spin and flutter when the wind blows and bounce light around.
Noisemakers: Things that make noise AND move are also effective deterrents. Cut up an old detergent bottle to make a pinwheel that spins and whirrs on a stake.
Remember, nothing will deter birds forever, so a variety of tactics are usually needed. Pay attention this year to the plants they seem to be favoring. Then next year you will be able to put deterrents in place before they start to look for food.
Good luck!
Ellen
About The Author: Ellen Brown is an environmental writer and photographer and the owner of Sustainable Media, an environmental media company that specializes in helping businesses and organizations promote eco-friendly products and services. Contact her on the web at http://www.sustainable-media.com
Feedback:
RE: Keep Birds Out of the Garden
I buy some shiny pinwheels and "plant" them with my veggies. As the plants grow, I adjust the pinwheels too, so they are "growing" too. When asked, as I have been often, I just tell them, "I'm growing pinwheels cuz the plants get lonely." *wink*
It definitely works for woodpeckers who confuse a rain downspout with a tree, too. (08/05/2008)
By deethundercloud
Report Spam or Abuse
Request: Keep Birds Out of the Garden
Archived on 06/17/2008
Q: How do I keep birds out of my garden? I have tried fake owls, snakes, and wrapping wire around my tomato plants. The CD idea sounds good, as does the pie pan.
Hardiness Zone: 9a
JGUER53 from Texas
A: JGUER53,
Birds tend to shy away from reflective materials and things that move. If birds are attacking your tomato plants, you might want to erect a few stakes around them and dangle some streamers of shiny plastic ribbon or flash tape. Some people also have good luck with those large balloons featuring scary eyes. The key to controlling birds in the garden is to finds ways to keep them away before they get into the habit of visiting your garden daily as part of their feeding routine. No single product is likely to remain effective long term. You're better off employing a number of tactics, like scarecrows, netting and CDs and rotating them every three or four days. If a specific variety of bird is the primary pest (blackbird, starling, etc.), I believe there are products available designed to scare-off specific species. Be sure to keep any devices you're not using out of site so the birds do not become accustomed to them.
Ellen
More Answers:
RE: Keep Birds Out of the Garden
If you have room away from your garden. Use an old nylon stocking (panty hose) Fill them with bird seed and hang it as far away from the garden as possible. (04/04/2006)
By Great Granny Vi
Report Spam or Abuse
Request: Keep Birds Out of the Garden
Archived on 06/20/2005
| We have a problem with birds in the garden. I was wondering how to keep birds from eating everything when it ripens in the garden? We have it fenced so our chickens won't get in but last year we had a lot of birds get to our tomatoes and other things before we did. It is a large garden so it would not be practical to put netting over everything. Do those twirling owls work?
Kathy
Please Be An Organ Donor |
| Answers: |
| RE: Keep Birds Out of the Garden |
|
Post by tigerlil234
|
| Dear Kathy,
You need to make a scarecrow for your garden. Use 2 1x2's, tie them together with wire in the middle and put some clothes on it, making sure you use something shiny. Silver contact paper is good and strong, let it stick together if it wants to because it'll be shiny on both sides. Birds don't like anything that shines or moves, so hang a lot of pieces on the Scarecrows arms.
The owls you mentioned work for awhile until the birds gets wise and knows it can't get them. Here in Arizona, the Farmers use the contact paper on their Scarecrows in the field. Be sure you graduate the lengths so the wind will blow them. |
| Birds in the Garden |
|
Post by RoseMary
|
| Since we live in the country, my husband had put a fence around our veggie garden, but we still had the birds flying in. Our solution to that was to use all those unwanted CDs and tie them to sticks around the garden to scare them off, birds don't like the shine they put off. No more treats for them.
By RoseMary B. |
| RE: Keep Birds Out of the Garden |
|
Post by valleyrimgirl
|
| My mom ties small aluminum pie plates in the saskatoon bushes to scare the birds. She puts them in the tree just as the fruit is turning purple. It works for her. |
| RE: Keep Birds Out of the Garden |
|
(Guest Post)
|
| I use pieces of old garden hose which have been cut into 8" to 12" lengths. I place them throughout my garden. Each time you happen into your garden to check on the progress - move the little hose. Whaa-la instant snakes. |
| RE: Keep Birds Out of the Garden |
|
christine (Guest Post)
|
| My father in law has a huge garden in his backyard and he also uses unwanted cds as a repellent for birds. It works very well for him. He drills a small hole near the top of two cds he glues together so they are reflective on both sides. He then uses a fishing clasp through the hole and hangs them where they are high and turn freely. There's also some repellent streamer you can buy that is extremely reflective on www.improvementscatalog.com that you string through the rows of your plants. I thought that was kinda cool. |
Report Spam or Abuse
