Got loads of netting, just not sure what needs it. I have strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and gooseberries, and im going to get an apple tree. I know the strawbs will need netting but what else will? (also what veg will the birds go for?)
Thanks in advance
John
pigeons will go for brassicas. If you have fine netting it will also keep those lovely cabbage white butterflies out.
Depends what your "local" pest is!
And pigeons will go for peas.
Does that include turnips? And does all the fruit on that list need netting too? I think there are pigeons kept nearby as well as some other birds too.
since I have no money and have yet to scrounge netting (besides a small bit from last years xmas tree) then I just have to hope for the best!
QuoteWhat needs netting?
Anything that doesn't need fleecing.
Jeremy
Thoroughly hacked off with the wildlife. The only thing they've left alone is the garlic, if that pheasant/rabbit had eaten the garlic he'd be just ready for the pot.
I suppose another benefit of living in London - we don't have that much wildlife!
I leave bird food out for pigeons and they seem to leave my crops alone. I've never had to net my strawbs. (touch wood!)
Oh and don't forget you also need to protect brassicas from catepillars, so use fine net/mesh/fleece for those.
Pea sticks (twiggy sticks) placed around the base of peas is supposed to be enough to protect them. (Pigeons attack them from ground level).
Thanks guys- heres what ill try:
No one else nets their rasps so i wont either
I will net strawbs as i would hate to lose them
Ill place sticks around my peas and brassicas
put a bird feeder out to divert birds from my crop
and plant a geranium to divert caterpillars from my brassicas (they love geraniums, right?)
Actually - just remembered - mum nets her raspbs - all her soft fruit I think.
I net as much as I can, but being bordered one site by farmland, one side the common, and the two other sides by huge rural gardens, alsorts of animals and birds wander through, including peac*cks! Old Jack on our site doesn't net his rasps, but he grows the late summer ones and he reakons there is so much food around for the birds by then, he looses hardly any. Strawbs he nets. I also have currants and goosegogs netted as I lost a hell of a lot to the tweety things last year. If you have rabbits, they will eat your lettuce, in fact all of your greens!!!! Jays go for your broadbeans, pigeons for your peas and brassicas, altho they did leave my turnips alone last year, but the wigglies didn't and I still didn't get any! Deer munch our runner beans as they grow. Tis a battlefield out there!!!!
EJ Do you have any probs with goosegog sawfly and if so how do you cope! :(
::) Total novice here ::) I bought pea & bean netting ??? is it for them to grow up or to keep birds away ??? and do I have to net my runners ??? also summats eatin my peas how do I organically stop em ??? questions questions questions ??? ;D
I would say to the netting thing, as much as you can, but thought that might sound disheartening! :( But I would def do all my brassicas, pigeons love em!)
I have CDs hanging all over the place to try to move our feathered freinds onto pastures greener! (up the hill to the posh lotties in other words ;D)
Birds also enjoy young lettuce.
Roy, have never netted me runners, and something was eating my peas (think birds like them too) so have fleeced them until they are big enough and ugly enough to fend for themselves. (hope it is not like teenagers or I shall have at least 18 years to wait!!)
DP
The birds eat my runners at home -but not at the lottie? I think I got away with raspberries last year. Definately net brassicas -in fact I would say fleece or mesh them. Bunnies will eat anything -phaesants are worse as the buggers will fly over the fencing. Something's eating the red currants, I've put a scarer up by I may have to net these too. It's a real pain having the plot nearest the field and hedge, most things just stop here for a snack and don't bother with the rest of the site.
Jeremy
That's enough wingeing -get down there with your gun man.
I suffered with sawfly a couple of years back on my redcurrants at home, but never on the allotment.....fingers and toes crossed! Don't know what I would do really....pick them off and squish them....... :-\
My fruit cage, very poor pics. Ava is the photographer, not me.
Actually will cds work- which birds to they keep away?
cds are supposed to work on all birds apart from magpies, which nick them!
Yup, aqui has it spot on, jays and magpies love them and use them for target practise!!!
So do i have to net and use cds or could i get away with just cds do you think?
The birds had a good go at the red currants last year so they are now well netted...
funnily enough they didn't go for the black currants...perhaps they couldn't see them so well hidden within the foliage.
Brassicas...pigeons love 'em..this year these two will be well and truly netted including pegging down well at ground level.. forgot that bit last year to my cost
Derek
Hi Mac,
Last year pigeons or other birds stripped my caulis in less than a day after I took fleece off. I think they will eat any new soft growth they can get at. Don`t forget they will sit on top of netting to push it down so they can reach through it so it has to be well supported at the top and pegged to the ground at the bottom. I tie mine to long (horizontal) canes at the bottom and peg the cane and the net into the ground.
But.. slugs and snails will shelter where the net rests on the ground.
People here net raspberries. Some use net curtain for that, someone here said its very cheap from charity shops. I get net from bargain shops for a pound some people get bigger peices at car boot sales.
Col
On my plot you have to net everything you want to eat, except the spuds. If I don't there is a bird, bug or slug that will eat it before me. I have Partridge, Pheasant, Rabbits and Hares strolling around helping themselves to everything succulent...but not the weeds.
I still count myself fairly lucky. A friend of mine on the South coast has to contend with Badger rooting everything up on her allotment. I am not sure how you would keep them out. I am sure it would take more than a bit of netting!
I get my fleece and netting mail order from Kay's Horticultural [Google the name for the web site]. You have to buy in bulk but it is cheap as chips and comes in 4m wide which better for me than the 1.2 or 2m widths from garden centres.
Found this humming line stuff at that site (Kays). Anyone know if its any good?