I do not like the bird netting. I know it protects fruit from the birds, but I
watched helplessly as one little wren got hopelessly tangled in it, but got
hung and ruined his little leg trying to twist his way out of it.

It is a very cruel way to deter birds. I also had to cut a rat snake out of
mine when he/she got hopelessly entangled and was dying. Had I not picked up
the netting from the ground, I would never have seen the poor dying snake and
cut it loose from the tangled net. I think he survived, but he would not have
had I not cut him loose. We have rats out here and we need the rat snakes.

Please don't use the webbing. Once your fig tree gets bigger there will be more
than enough for you and the birds. My neighbor has figs coming out her ears in
her 10 year old trees, while my get eaten, but every year there are more for me
even with the birds.

Joe Doe wrote:

In article , Libralove
wrote:

Yep, I think you nailed it. If you work during the day and are not home to
guard them, it is most likely a nervy neighbor too cheap to purchase
produce.

Well I have a Fig tree and am yet to eat one fig but I think it is the
birds that are gettting them - I wait till they ripen, they wait till
they ripen, they get them when they are perfectly ripe. I also thought it
might be someone off the street because the tree has alley access, but
occasionally see half eaten figs on the tree so am pretty sure it is
wildlife of some sort. Try bird netting on your peppers and see if
they survive. You could also try enclosing the maturing fruit in hose, or
clear plastic bag with a few holes punched in for air and see if they
survive.

Roland