The new to us property came nicely prepared for gardening and partially set up for permaculture. In the front garden, I have 6 haskaps bushes, a 100 or so strawberry plants and another 7-8 blueberry bushes. I've been looking forward all winter long to tasting haskaps and see how big of a strawberry crop we could harvest.
But the birds came... Doesn't seem to matter what I do, they keep eating everything as soon as it ripens. Scarecrows, netting draped over plants, pie tins with bolts for noise and glinting, plastic owls... They keep finding the smallest of openings to fly in/out. They perch on the dang scarecrows!! (And yes, I keep moving them to make them look more legit).
It's maddening! The layout prevents me from building a structure to protect everything, maybe next year I'll call those "sacrifice to the birds" and just establish more plants in a different garden that I can cover.
In the meanwhile, are there anything that I could consider?
So they are getting inside the bird netting, real bird netting? because normally that does the trick.. but the other line of defence is a couple really good barn cats, I may not like that they catch the birds but I like my crops. for the strawberries, can you build a PCV with chicken wire cover for them?
The only other thing I have for you is if you have power and water available.
https://www.amazon.com/Orbit-62100-Enforcer-Activated-Sprinkler/dp/B009F1R0GC
http://livingmydreamlifeonthefarm.wordpress.com/
Fake owls on poles. But put pull in a bucket to be able to move around. Birds learn after a bit they are fake. Buddy showed me that last summer. Every week he moved them around and birds never touched any thing at all. Well rest complain that they kept eating gardens and so on. He swear by it. Never had a issue. Also said his grandfather showed him the trick.
Just tasted haskaps for the first time on a trip to Nova Scotia - yum! 🙂
HopeImReady
"The thing about smart mother f*ckers, is that they sometimes sound like crazy mother f*ckers to dumb mother f*ckers." -Abraham .”
Just tasted haskaps for the first time on a trip to Nova Scotia - yum! 🙂
I wish I could tell you what they taste like. They went from green to gone...
Well, I think the solution will be barn cat next spring. A bit too late now especially that I don't really have an outbuilding I could just leave opened and somewhat heated during the winter.
And sadly, the plastic owl and hawk, the net and all... nothing. I'll look into the sprinkler option.
Ps, the bird netting from the dollar store is not nearly as good of quality as a proper bird netting from a garden supply store.. might be worth checking that out as well and yes a good hunting fixed barn cat can do wonders.. Look up how to make a winter cat box (tote, double layers) they work crazy good 🙂
http://livingmydreamlifeonthefarm.wordpress.com/
Same thing happened my first year! They were green and then they were gone!!!
We ended up propping up cut down 2X4's standing up right, the length of the row of bushes. This holds the bird netting away from the bush- the other side of the bushes the net is attached to the fence so I start the netting from there -over the bush.
When they were smaller bushes I used garden hoops (made from PEX plastic water line pipe) over top of them with netting draped over....works until their bigger. I now have berries every year!!!
I can't have outside cats here, unfortunately bigger things eat them. 😯 😮
Hope that helps?!?!
I always find an air rifle or .410 works well 🙂
We built a cage this spring to keep the berries in. Not sure how effective until we have some yummy berries.
I was going to post a pic but just found out Photobucket now charges $399 a year for third party hosting. How can I post a picture here without using a third party hosting site?
Well, even though I've been haskap-less, the strawberries have been plentiful despite a few being pecked. The pecked ones end up in the chicken run. The girls seem fed up with strawberries... they even prefer dandelion leaves over strawberries 🙁
Fast forward almost a year...
Either the birds are leaving my haskaps alone or they've just didn't discovered them, but I just finished picking up a couple pounds of haskap berries. They are delicious, maybe a little tart. I have 2 different varieties here and the big plump ones are not quite ready. Strawberries are starting to come out but the foliage isn't very thick so I suspect the birds will go to town. Oh well, call it my "tithe" to Mother Earth.
Very nice on the haskaps, the birds have so many choices in the spring compared to later in the season, or perhaps they just didn't see them 🙂 The ones I have here on the farm taste like a blueberry Saskatoon cross with a lemon undertone.. Delightful! I have added in a third kind and another male this year.. hopefully increasing my yields in the coming year.
http://livingmydreamlifeonthefarm.wordpress.com/
Well...
I spoke too soon or jinxed it. They're back! Hasksaps are raided as soon as they ripen and the couple of strawberries that were turning red have now been picked (the red parts of the strawberries that is).
Those little winged thieves are going to pay for this!
(kidding... what am I gonna do, kill tiny finches trying to feed themselves?)
Maybe put up a finch feeding station 🙂 and bird netting is going to be required
http://livingmydreamlifeonthefarm.wordpress.com/
