Topic: What seeds/seedlings need protecting from birds/rabbits?

[Potato]

 Hello everyone, I am new to growing vegetables, please could anyone tell me what seeds/seedlings (vegetables that is) need protecting from birds/rabbits?  I was planning on sowing some radishes and carrots in the next couple of weeks and intend to plant out onions, garlic and shallots sometime this weekend.  Many thanks

[supersprout]

Onion sets can be attractive to birds when they first sprout, because they remind them of little worms. Once the birds discover they've pulled up an allium :o >:( they leave it, so often the uprooted bulb can be replanted. Or cover with mesh til the plants grow a little bigger, then the birds can see they are onions and don't try to pull them out.

[derbex]

If they're in a greenhouse just shut the door  ::)

Beyond that if you've got rabbits I'd fence your plot -they'll eat anything. Then you just have to worry about the blasted phaesant eating the onion tops. Rabbits will nibble onions to find out they don't like them.

With the birds I found the CD/plastic strip approach reasonably effective.

[Alimo]

Rabbits eat everying and anything - I've learned from experience  :-\  So a fence totally surrounding your veggie patch is a must.  If you don't you'll just be so frustrated at losing your crops to the little bugg...... darlings!

I don't have problems with birds - well not up to now. 

Alison

[grawrc]

The fence needs to go a good few inches underground too and the wire mesh truned over . Otherwise they just burrow their way through.

[Columbus]

Hi potato,

Pigeons will destroy everything in half a day, especially brassiccas
but also peas, beans and any soft new growth they find.

Except tomatoes, peppers, and onions as far as I know.

Net everything as soon as you put it out - if you leave stuff and they find it they`ll strip it down to leaf skeletons before you return. Try a vertical fleece fence around your runner beans when they are small to stop pigeons browsing along the row.

(I hate pigeons) Col

[ipt8]

If rabbits can get to your veg you will need to buy some 1.2metre, or four feet high rabbit netting. The mesh should be one and a quarter inches diameter for full size rabbits and this is usually OK. BUT be warned you would need one inch mesh to stop a young rabbit.

The netting should be erected three feet tall with one foot turned out towards the rabbits and pegged down securely. BETTER still bury the netting about three inches down and nine inches out.

[grawrc]

Mmmm.. thanks ipt8 .. that's what I was trying to say. ;)

[gardening giraffe]

Sprouts definitely  :'( not one plant last year as I didn't cover them and the blasted pigeons ate all 24 of them, Im a bit unsure of my broad beans too which went in plot in october, only 1 plant has come up and its tiny!! no signs of onions either  ??? either Im doing something wrong or its just been too cold and they'l make an appearence soon

[glow777]

On the plus side both rabbits and pidgeons make good eating so grow everything unprotected to entice them onto your plot and ..............  apologies to vegetarians ;D

[growmore]

Hi Potato, Welcome
Set your onions, and shallots under soil so you just have the tip showing ,that  way the birds wont pull them out .. Same with garlic .  .Cheers...   Jim

[grawrc]

Onions and shallots are OK once they get growing and established. It's when they are just starting that they entice the birds.

My broad beans seem to be eaten (I think by mice) when I autumn plant, so I am starting them off in the house to plant out later. If I sow them March/ April (but not this year with all the snow!) they seem to fare better.

[Potato]

Thanks for all you advice, I have built a fence around them all and covered the top with netting, hoping that will do the trick.  Thanks Again, Potato

[dicky]

I've just netted my onions, wasn't going to bother but it killed my back bending down to put 180 in, not going through that again just to replant what the bird pull up, especially as other people on our site say pigeons are a pain.

[grawrc]

I've netted my broad beans to protect them from the pigeons. Thanks for that one!