Here's a tip from the 2GB gardening program for gardeners with a fig tree.

A couple of times I've heard Graham Ross (he of the Ground Force garden
makeover show on tv) say that he has not lost any figs to birds since he
started hanging rubber snakes in the tree. Had this claim come from almost
anyone else I would be very sceptical.

I imagine you'd need quite a few snakes, and if it was me I'd move some
around under cover of darkness so the birds didn't have cause to think
the snakes might be dead.

But I have one question for Mr Ross if he reads this newsgroup: don't
you have problems with the kookaburras hunting your snakes?

To counter the predations of kookaburras I reckon you'd need to tie the
snakes on tightly with fishing line, or cable ties, or something.
--
John Savage (for email, replace "ks" with "k" and delete "n")

"John Savage" wrote in message
om
Here's a tip from the 2GB gardening program for gardeners with a fig
tree.

A couple of times I've heard Graham Ross (he of the Ground Force
garden makeover show on tv) say that he has not lost any figs to
birds since he started hanging rubber snakes in the tree. Had this
claim come from almost anyone else I would be very sceptical.

I imagine you'd need quite a few snakes, and if it was me I'd move
some around under cover of darkness so the birds didn't have cause to
think the snakes might be dead.

But I have one question for Mr Ross if he reads this newsgroup: don't
you have problems with the kookaburras hunting your snakes?

To counter the predations of kookaburras I reckon you'd need to tie
the snakes on tightly with fishing line, or cable ties, or something.

I had a problem with Scrub Turkeys digging out all my plants. I placed
rubber snakes around the garden bed, moved them occasionally, plus left a
short hose coiled through the garden. No more turkey problem!

I've heard hanging CD's in fruit trees is a good bird deterrent, would be
interested to hear from anyone whether this is effective

"John Savage" wrote in message
om...
Here's a tip from the 2GB gardening program for gardeners with a fig tree.

A couple of times I've heard Graham Ross (he of the Ground Force garden
makeover show on tv) say that he has not lost any figs to birds since he
started hanging rubber snakes in the tree. Had this claim come from almost
anyone else I would be very sceptical.

I imagine you'd need quite a few snakes, and if it was me I'd move some
around under cover of darkness so the birds didn't have cause to think
the snakes might be dead.

But I have one question for Mr Ross if he reads this newsgroup: don't
you have problems with the kookaburras hunting your snakes?

To counter the predations of kookaburras I reckon you'd need to tie the
snakes on tightly with fishing line, or cable ties, or something.
--
John Savage (for email, replace "ks" with "k" and delete "n")

I can't fig.....ure this one out for you.


"John Savage" wrote in message
om...
Here's a tip from the 2GB gardening program for gardeners with a fig tree.

A couple of times I've heard Graham Ross (he of the Ground Force garden
makeover show on tv) say that he has not lost any figs to birds since he
started hanging rubber snakes in the tree. Had this claim come from almost
anyone else I would be very sceptical.

I imagine you'd need quite a few snakes, and if it was me I'd move some
around under cover of darkness so the birds didn't have cause to think
the snakes might be dead.

But I have one question for Mr Ross if he reads this newsgroup: don't
you have problems with the kookaburras hunting your snakes?

To counter the predations of kookaburras I reckon you'd need to tie the
snakes on tightly with fishing line, or cable ties, or something.
--
John Savage (for email, replace "ks" with "k" and delete "n")

whiteMemphis wrote:

I've heard hanging CD's in fruit trees is a good bird deterrent, would be
interested to hear from anyone whether this is effective

Yes, it deters most birds, but not all.
We decorated two banksias in our front yard with CD's for Christmas 2001
and the visiting bird population plumetted whilst they were up.


--
Terry Collins {:-)}}} email: www:
http://www.woa.com.au
Wombat Outdoor Adventures Bicycles, Computers, GIS, Printing,
Publishing

"People without trees are like fish without clean water"

I've tried the CDs but maybe the birds in our area are vain because they
seem to use them for mirrors.
I've been tempted many times to try the snakes but having a fear of them
myself ,I'm sure I would forget and scare myself or the man of the house.
I have also used fine mesh over the espaliered pear trees but as it did not
quite reach the ground the birds went under it then up into the pears.They
were also too cunning to get caught in it .
I would not mind if they ate just one piece of fruit but no, they take one
peck out of each piece then move to the next.
Any suggestions? I've run out of ideas.

Coral E.
SE.SA.

"whiteMemphis" wrote in message
...
I've heard hanging CD's in fruit trees is a good bird deterrent, would be
interested to hear from anyone whether this is effective

"John Savage" wrote in message
om...
Here's a tip from the 2GB gardening program for gardeners with a fig
tree.

A couple of times I've heard Graham Ross (he of the Ground Force garden
makeover show on tv) say that he has not lost any figs to birds since he
started hanging rubber snakes in the tree. Had this claim come from
almost
anyone else I would be very sceptical.

I imagine you'd need quite a few snakes, and if it was me I'd move some
around under cover of darkness so the birds didn't have cause to think
the snakes might be dead.

But I have one question for Mr Ross if he reads this newsgroup: don't
you have problems with the kookaburras hunting your snakes?

To counter the predations of kookaburras I reckon you'd need to tie the
snakes on tightly with fishing line, or cable ties, or something.
--
John Savage (for email, replace "ks" with "k" and delete "n")

I can't fig.....ure this one out for you.

ha ha groan :-)

I would not mind if they ate just one piece of fruit but no, they take one
peck out of each piece then move to the next.
Any suggestions? I've run out of ideas.

The buggers! my nectarines and strawberries get the same treatment.....

I have some terylene weighted with sinkers over my strawberries, but the birds
lift it and peck the fruit, if only I hadn't handed in my shotgun.......

I have some cd coasters here. I might give it a go. Last season I tried plastic
shopping bags, but it didn't work.

The birds seem to like the fruit not as ripe as I do sadly.......

I will win someday though......

Gerard

"Gerard" wrote in message ...
I would not mind if they ate just one piece of fruit but no, they take one
peck out of each piece then move to the next.
Any suggestions? I've run out of ideas.

The buggers! my nectarines and strawberries get the same treatment.....

I have some terylene weighted with sinkers over my strawberries, but the birds
lift it and peck the fruit, if only I hadn't handed in my shotgun.......

I have some cd coasters here. I might give it a go. Last season I tried plastic
shopping bags, but it didn't work.

The birds seem to like the fruit not as ripe as I do sadly.......

I will win someday though......

Gerard


I saved the washing from being covered in purple bird poop (they
looove the blood plums) by stringing the old Christmans tinsel all
over the hoist, so I think it should work equally well on the fruit
tree. BUT it only worked for about one or two seasons, so it appears
that you'd have to alternate different methods to get permanent
protection.

John, do you think this would work for bats too? They eat all the fruit off
my tree and mess all over my car its a problem every year. Given bats are
blind of course and rely on a sonor system. Heather.
"John Savage" wrote in message
om...
Here's a tip from the 2GB gardening program for gardeners with a fig tree.

A couple of times I've heard Graham Ross (he of the Ground Force garden
makeover show on tv) say that he has not lost any figs to birds since he
started hanging rubber snakes in the tree. Had this claim come from almost
anyone else I would be very sceptical.

I imagine you'd need quite a few snakes, and if it was me I'd move some
around under cover of darkness so the birds didn't have cause to think
the snakes might be dead.

But I have one question for Mr Ross if he reads this newsgroup: don't
you have problems with the kookaburras hunting your snakes?

To counter the predations of kookaburras I reckon you'd need to tie the
snakes on tightly with fishing line, or cable ties, or something.
--
John Savage (for email, replace "ks" with "k" and delete "n")

"whiteMemphis" writes:
I've heard hanging CD's in fruit trees is a good bird deterrent, would be
interested to hear from anyone whether this is effective

Only if they are Kamahl CDs. :-)
--
John Savage ( Why are people so unkind? )

"Heather Edwards" writes:
John, do you think this would work for bats too? They eat all the fruit off
my tree and mess all over my car its a problem every year. Given bats are
blind of course and rely on a sonor system. Heather.

Hello Heather. Most insectivorous bats use sonar, but the flying foxes
have excellent eyesight and can see in even dim moonlight. I think they
don't even have sonar. You could try the snakes, perhaps paint them a
light colour, or use a fluorescent paint. Whether snakes are successful may
depend on whether the bats have ever encountered predatory tree snakes. My
feeling is that it probably won't scare them--for the simple reason that
1000s of orchardists would surely be using rubber snakes if it was known
to work. But why not give it a try, anyway? I wonder would an owl be a
deterrent to bats? The advantage of using an owl in your tree is that it
looks wooden at the best of times, so an immobile bird would not seem
unnatural.

Have you considered spraying one half of your tree with DeTer? If effective,
this might restrict the bats to the other half and they'd at least leave you
the fruit on one half. Or try wrapping figs or bunches of figs in their own
individual little nylon netting bags.

I expect DeTer can be used on fruit crops, but it might mean that you have
to peel the fruit if you don't like the taste. Anyone actually tried it on
edible crops?
--
John Savage (for email, replace "ks" with "k" and delete "n")