Blackbirds and Strawberries

[Redalder]

One of our garden gang of blackbirds (female) has learned to peck holes in the fruit netting and help herself to strawberries. She is fearless and will watch us mend the holes after shooing her out - and then make another! I have taken to gathering anything close the ripe as soon as I spot it and discovered that she has a mate - a frog which polishes off her pecked berries. I didn't know frogs even liked berries.

Our old "cloth" netting wore out and the new stuff is plastic, all we could find, and apparently easy to slice open if you have a beak and determination. Does anyone know of a supplier of old style woven netting?

[Redalder]

[cornykev]

Time to dust off the catapult I thinks.

[Borlotti]

I was thinking about netting last night, in bed, like one does.  My mother used to save the old net curtains and put them over the raspberries.  Don't see many people using nets nowadays, maybe a reason for this.  Sorry to say but I have too many strawberries and have been giving them away, and I didn't net them, but they are very close together and I have to crawl around to pick them. 

[willsy]

I think they like my lettuce as well. Lets hope 4th time planting them out I may get one. lol

[sparrow]

Nutleys Kitchen gardens - woven netting cut to size. This is the third season with mine - the only holes are ones I made by buying unsuitable pegs.

[Redalder]

Nutleys Kitchen gardens - woven netting cut to size. This is the third season with mine - the only holes are ones I made by buying unsuitable pegs.

Thanks - will give them a try

[Melbourne12]

This is what we use: http://www.lbsgardenwarehouse.co.uk/Heavy-Duty-Anti-Bird-Net-PRDR-PN2/

It's strong enough to resist damage (deliberate or accidental), and lasts for 5 years or more.  We buy a big roll, which lasts for ages.

[ancellsfarmer]

http://www.henrycowls.net/bird-netting/