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Birds Eating Tomato Plants |
| By Ellen Brown |
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Question: I need help keeping birds from eating our tomato plants, we have tried the scarecrow and owls, also the pie tins. Robins are destroying our plants all day long, up to a dozen a day, mostly the ones close to the ground.
Hardiness Zone: 5b
Bobbie from Monroe, MI
Answer: One of the best ways to keep birds out of your tomatoes is to slip growing clusters of fruits into old nylon stockings or pantyhose while the tomatoes are still green. Cut the stockings into strips (15 to 20 inches longs) and tie a knot in one end. Then slip each the stockings over a cluster of tomatoes. Don't worry if the tomatoes are still small. The stockings will continue to expand as the tomatoes grow. When the tomatoes are ready for harvest, simply untie or cut open the closed end of the stockings.
Another strategy is to harvest your tomatoes while they are still a greenish-pink color and let them ripen at room temperature. You can also place them in a cardboard box in single layers separated by newspaper (up to 3 layers) and slide them under your bed or store them in a dark closet. It will take them a little longer to ripen this way, but it will also extend your harvest.
Ellen
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RE: Birds Eating Tomato Plants
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Post By Nana Fran (Guest Post)
(07/13/2008)
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I am in an in-law apartment and my back deck is actually on the 3rd floor when looking out the back. I thought the plant would be safe up there but apparently some type of bird is eating the flower before it even becomes a tomato or it a really small one. I have just put that netting over it and am hoping it works.
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RE: Birds Eating Tomato Plants
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Post By Jan (Guest Post)
(05/20/2008)
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Take the tape out of a old VHS or a cassette, put up stakes at the end of the row and one in the middle, and string up the tape over the plants. Birds absolutely will not bother. I read this years ago, and do it every year. After they get some growth on them, you can take the tape down. Birds only like tender young plants.
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RE: Birds Eating Tomato Plants
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Post By Charlie (Guest Post)
(07/23/2007)
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I have had some success using a lunch size paper bag. I put the tomato in the bag just as it is turning pink and tighten te bag at the nd to hold it on stem. The tomato will continue to vine ripen in the bag.
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RE: Birds Eating Tomato Plants
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Post By Peter McDonald (Guest Post)
(12/10/2006)
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For protection, you can use a BirdBusta(R) clip with a paper cup covering the tomato.
See www.birdbusta.com .
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RE: Birds Eating Tomato Plants
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Post By kayray (Guest Post)
(07/26/2006)
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You could also try hanging old cd's on fishing line on the plants or above them. They don't like the reflections from the light on them.
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RE: Birds Eating Tomato Plants
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Post By southernlady (Guest Post)
(07/26/2006)
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You might try hanging red christmas bulbs on plants. The birds will peak them thinking they are the tomatoes - they won't like that kind of tomato and will leave them alone.
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RE: Birds Eating Tomato Plants
I was also going to suggest the lightweight netting. I used it before on my tomatoes because of the same problem and it worked. I bought mine at WalMart. One thing though. I did have a temporary fence around my vegetable garden to keep my dogs out of it, so the bottom area was protected already. I just draped the net over the top using tall poles to hold it up.
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RE: Birds Eating Tomato Plants
If you're certain it's the birds eating the tomatoes, Home Depot carries a product called "bird netting". It's a very lightweight black nylon net.
My garden has bush bunnies (saw the droppings) that ate my strawberries, so I tented a fine wire mesh fencing over one and some cheesecloth over the other. I'm waiting to see if either works.
I didn't know about birds eating tomatoes. I just re-planted seedlings on my patio, which is a hangout for scrub jays, black phoebes, morning doves and robins. I'd love to know if you try the netting and how it works.
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