My strawberry plants are blooming like mad right now, and I am looking forward to a bumper crop. However, I'm sure that the birds in my neighborhood are looking forward to it just as much.
The first couple of years I grew berries, I lost a good number of them to hungry birds. I'd tell myself that there was plenty of time to protect them, and it never failed that the strawberries would attain that first, beautiful blush of pink, and the birds would beat me to them.
The key, of course is to have a Berry Defense Plan in place before you need it. I've written an article about humane ways to protect berries from birds. Among the methods listed, netting is my favorite because it's the most fool-proof. But if you have just a strawberry pot or hanging basket and don't want to bother with netting, many of the other methods in the article are worth a shot. My mother-in-law recycles old party streamers to protect her small blueberry patch, and she has pretty good luck with it.
What's your favorite method for protecting berries from the birds? Or do you just assume you'll be sharing your crop with them?
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Comments
why not grow extra strawberries to cover your losses
Thank you for this article about people’s concerns about killing plants. I’ve dealt with this constant guilt of killing innocent plants – and take it really personally whenever a plant-friend dies on me.
I realized that herbs were easier to grow veggies…. and for a surprising 2 years, they were wonderful. I swear, I can even “hear” them when I forget to water them… there’s a tiny voice -NOT mine- where it’s quite distinct and I’ll rush out and water the poor thirsty group. When I moved, it broke my heart to give them away to a friend who promised to take care of them.
A year without plant or gardening made me feel ungrounded. Now, I belong to a community garden at a university campus. I’m still insecure but willing to gamble once more!
Perfect timing of this helpful article!
Cheers,
RaVen
I let the birds have some berries. They eat a few; I eat a lot. It’s a fair trade since I use the bird-poopy mulch under their nests to fertilize my flowers.
Now, if the birds were eating a LOT of my strawberries, I’d wait out there with a crossbow.
To keep birds from eating my strawberries, I cover the plants
with nylon or lace-type curtains. Can buy them cheap at
rummage sales. Also cover my cherry bushes with curtains.