How to Keep Birds Away from Tomatoes

[hendi_alex]

We love having birds visit our yard. A resident catbird was the only one that has ever tempted me to break out the pellet gun. Not really, but a very aggrivating bird! Had to net the blueberries that year as the one bird would strip the berries as soon as they got a little blue color. In general, my strategy is to over plant. We will share with the critters as long as they leave plenty for us. When protection is necessary, that lightweight netting is one of the easiest and most effective solutions IMO.

[flyingfish2]

bali, I have hawks and owls all around. Mockingbirds pester the heck out of them, don't think fake owls would do anything other than another place for them to roost on javascript:emoticon(':roll:')

[bali]

Build 4 walls around the garden.......

Put the netting over the top, Pray..........

[hendi_alex]

Perhaps you say that in jest. But a couple years ago I built a peacock pen for a friend. Covered on all sides and top by 2 by 4 weldwire. The enclosure is about 12' by 24' and 8-10 feet tall. Since that time have often admired what a great gardening cage that would make. Probably cost about $200-$250 but would last at least 15-20 years.

[bali]

See I arent all bad ........

Yes it was in jest.........



It did sound great for a patch .. In town precautions are need .. I are in the country....We still get pests.
Coons eat the corn.
Crows/robins eat the berries......Yes we do cover berries with a screen.
Need new ones this year ......I used ole sheer curtains.

[rascal]

try putting out red christmas bulbs c7 or c9 the birds try them and realize they are no good and they tend to ignore the tomatoes and strawberrys. but the sure fix is to wrap ripening tomatoes with a white paper towel and secure them with a clothes pin or binder clip. the birds will not see the red and the tomatoes rippen the same. the cd trick hanging on strings also helps also thick black rope coiled here and there looks like a snake they do not like that. i also set up a turkey decoy that moves in the wind. I do all the above and it works it may seem extreme but I put alot of work into those and want them for my family not the birds.

[soil]

how about planting more things for the birds to eat? they must be hungry to try and go after your tomatoes. we have birds flying all through our tomato patch eating caterpillars and such never any tomatoes. not only that they give little phosphorus bombs which grow better tomatoes.

[johnny123]

Get yourself a Red Ryder.

[johnny123]

Had problems with Canada Geese.
I got some wooden dog silhouettes.
Geese stopped coming around.
Maybe you need some cat silhouettes.