There's nothing better than watching the summer birds soaring around my yard, except when they decide on eating my prized berries! After coddling berry plants for years, bird protection is serious business. Cherries, strawberries, blueberries and elderberries are just some of the berry crops that birds love. Here are some ideas on preventing the damage.
Bird netting is the most common protective device. Consider placing some tall stakes and a framework over the plant and then draping the netting over the stakes. It will be easier to get in to harvest and cause less damage to the plant as you lift off the netting. Also, secure the netting down to the ground so birds can't get in the bottom.
Scaring birds is another idea. There are many home made and commercial reflective and noise devices that work... for a time. Try using pie plates, old CDs (remember those?), aluminum foil and even turned on radios around your plants. I like using the holographic ribbon strung on posts in the planting. It's important the devices move to reflect light and make noise so place them where there's good wind. Try a number of different devices and techniques to confuse the birds. Scare eye balloons works well as long as you move them every few days. Stationary plastic owls, however, look cute, but I remember seeing a crow perched on one waiting to descend on a garden.
Finally, taste based, repellent sprays will thwart birds. Spray before berries ripen to be effective. Commercial repellents are available but you can make your own. Mix water, crushed hot peppers and vinegar together or spray a sugar solution to ward off birds.
And now for this week's tip, time is running short to sign up for my tour of the Gardens and Foods of Barcelona, Spain and Provence, France. Not only will we visit award winning gardens and take cooking classes tasting great foods, we'll visit food markets and be part of seasonal local festivals. Learn more at VPR.net
Next week on the Vermont Garden Journal, I'll be talking about cauliflower. Until then, I'll be seeing you in the garden.
Broadcast on Friday, June 28, 2014 at 5:57 p.m. and Sunday, June 30, 2014 at 9:35 a.m.
The Vermont Garden Journal with Charlie Nardozzi is made possible by Gardener's Supply, offering environmental solutions for gardens and landscapes. In Burlington, Williston and Gardeners.com
