GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

21-07-2003, 06:52 PM

(Glenna Rose) wrote in message news:fc.003d0941019ff3a13b9aca00cd56d6d1.19ff3c7@ pmug.org...
writes:
My roommate seems rather concerned with the possibility of birds
destroying
my developing crop of tomatoes. Only the cherries have started to ripen at
this time but he keeps warning me that birds will peck the fruit to steal
the juices within.

First off, is this a REAL possiblity/problem or just some old wives tale
he's blown out of proportion.

Second if it IS a real issue what can I do to combat this? He suggests
placing shiny pie-pans around the garden on sticks to scare the birds
off. I
vaguely remember someone mentioning having a birdbath near (but not in)
your
garden can help with this, as it provides an alternative and easier to
obtain source of water.

I am amusedly concerned. Is this something I really need to worry over, or
just another of his "bird brained" ideas?

My initial reaction is that he is mis-informed or incompletely informed.

I have dozens of tomato plants, fruits in all colors, and have never,
repeat, never, had a bird peck in a single one of them. However, the bird
bath beside the garden always has water and the bird feeder in the middle
of the garden usually has food every day. Perhaps my garden has been
exceptionally lucky, but that's my experience. I would suspect if one
were a bird, it'd be easier (and safer) to get a drink from an open
container of water than from a tomato.

The cherries, on the other hand, are another matter. They are eating the
cherries, not getting liquid. Also, those cherries are sitting there,
shining in the sun, asking to be eaten. g

Glenna

Birds will indeed peck at your tomatoes to get at the juice in dry
weather. I have caught them in the act. This has always been a
problem in my garden. I tried several different so called
"repellents" such as fake predators, AOL CD's and mylar film. The
only thing that has helped at all is to leave the birds some water in
a couple of locations around the yard. You would think that since my
neighbor has multiple bird feeders and birdbaths, they would just
drink there, but that just ain't the case.

Lee Hall
Zone 6B - Tennessee