Topic: Potted plants vanishing!!!

[landimad]

I have potted on so many plants from seed there is no more room in the deep beds to accommodate more.
The only trouble is the local blackbirds have now taken it upon themselves to pull out the newly planted plugs to get at what is underneath.
I had been at work so have only just seen the damage they have caused.
Lost a load of plug plants to these restless foragers.
I cannot cover them as the sun is so strong at the moment and the covered area is bulging at the seems.
Oh woe is me and not a hope for these little ones to get going unless I can protect them.
I have about 200pots wanting to be saved and no where to put them out of harms way.
Veg and flowers alike are having to take their chances.
They get sun from 0630 till 1900 and I am on 12hr days at the moment.
Any thoughts as to what to do???
Thanks in advance

[SMP1704]

Can you rig up something that makes a noise, flutters in the wind in a unpredictable way?

I have started using old CD's dangling over bed and have a couple of kids windmills.  Strips of carrier bags are also good.

[ipt8]

Just buy some fruit net and drape over them. :)

[Crystalmoon]

I use cds on string & it seems to work well. I also use canes stuck in the ground at angles with empty plastic bottles on top rattling around in the wind (any bottles will do, fizzy drinks, fabric conditioner, etc).

[queenbee]

Hi  Landimad,

Why not use garden fleece to cover your plants, it is very cheap and provides shade as well as protection from pests. I use it all the time and have even washed it in the washing machine to use next year. It protects my carrots from root fly and I use in in my greenhouses to shade, I have little trouble with greenfly or whitefly by using this. It is my one essential that I couldn't manage without.

Regards Queenbee,

[lincsyokel2]

By far and away the best stuff to use is Debris Netting, you can get it on Ebay, its about £28 for a roll 2m x 50m. Fine enough to stop practically every thing down to a fruit fly, but doesnt stop the rain ,and only slightly shades the sun. I build frames 2.2m  x 1.2m x 0.6m out of free 2.2m x 1.2m  pallets covered in it and move them around the plot as needed. Its nylon, so is indestructible and weatherproof.

[:(]

Just buy some fruit net and drape over them. :)

Nets need to be streched tight and secured all round to stop birds getting tangled in them.