Recommendation for strawberry protection
 

I have some strawberry plants, and the birds keep beating me to the
berries.

Can someone recommend a kind of netting to use to keep them out? What
size holes? You know what I mean --- the intersteces between the
intersections or whatever. My grandmother used to drape old curtains
over the blueberry bushes, but these are strawberries, and the sun and
rain need to get through.

Thanks for any help!

Priscilla

Recommendation for strawberry protection
 

On 7/19/2011 5:23 PM, Juniper wrote:
I have some strawberry plants, and the birds keep beating me to the
berries.

Can someone recommend a kind of netting to use to keep them out? What
size holes? You know what I mean --- the intersteces between the
intersections or whatever. My grandmother used to drape old curtains
over the blueberry bushes, but these are strawberries, and the sun and
rain need to get through.

Thanks for any help!

Priscilla

Netting I use for deer with one inch openings should also keep out
birds, but it is not just draping but keeping off the plants or birds
will just peck around it. So you would have to put together a frame to
keep off the strawberries.

Recommendation for strawberry protection
 

Juniper wrote:
I have some strawberry plants, and the birds keep beating me to the
berries.

Can someone recommend a kind of netting to use to keep them out? What
size holes? You know what I mean --- the intersteces between the
intersections or whatever. My grandmother used to drape old curtains
over the blueberry bushes, but these are strawberries, and the sun and
rain need to get through.

Thanks for any help!

Priscilla

I use galvanised weldmesh. It is a wire mesh in a square pattern welded at
each junction that is much stiffer than chicken or bird wire so it can stand
on its own without a frame. I use a 12mm (1/2 in) mesh. It keeps out birds
quite well, horses not so much.

D

Recommendation for strawberry protection
 

Juniper wrote:

I have some strawberry plants, and the birds keep beating me to the
berries.

are you sure it is birds and not ground
squirrels instead? i have very little damage
from birds here, but much more from ground
squirrels (chipmunks).


songbird

Recommendation for strawberry protection
 

"songbird" wrote in message
...
Juniper wrote:

I have some strawberry plants, and the birds keep beating me to the
berries.

are you sure it is birds and not ground
squirrels instead? i have very little damage
from birds here, but much more from ground
squirrels (chipmunks).


songbird

and terrapins (land turtles)

Recommendation for strawberry protection
 

In article ,
songbird wrote:

Juniper wrote:

I have some strawberry plants, and the birds keep beating me to the
berries.

are you sure it is birds and not ground
squirrels instead? i have very little damage
from birds here, but much more from ground
squirrels (chipmunks).


songbird

It's odd, but I've *never* seen a chipmunk near my property. We have
some squirrels, but no chipmunks at all. I've lived there almost 13
years now. Very strange.

Priscilla

Recommendation for strawberry protection
 

In article ,
"Steve Peek" wrote:

"songbird" wrote in message
...
Juniper wrote:

I have some strawberry plants, and the birds keep beating me to the
berries.

are you sure it is birds and not ground
squirrels instead? i have very little damage
from birds here, but much more from ground
squirrels (chipmunks).


songbird

and terrapins (land turtles)

Never seen a turtle near my place, either. I live in a city. Slugs,
snails, worms, salamanders, cats, birds, squirrels, a woodchuck, etc.,
but no turtles.

Thanks anyway.

Priscilla

Recommendation for strawberry protection
 

In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

Juniper wrote:
I have some strawberry plants, and the birds keep beating me to the
berries.

Can someone recommend a kind of netting to use to keep them out? What
size holes? You know what I mean --- the intersteces between the
intersections or whatever. My grandmother used to drape old curtains
over the blueberry bushes, but these are strawberries, and the sun and
rain need to get through.

Thanks for any help!

Priscilla

I use galvanised weldmesh. It is a wire mesh in a square pattern welded at
each junction that is much stiffer than chicken or bird wire so it can stand
on its own without a frame. I use a 12mm (1/2 in) mesh. It keeps out birds
quite well, horses not so much.

D

Thanks. I don't have much problem with horses poaching off my berries.
;-)

Priscilla
--
"What you fail to understand is that criticising established authority by means
of argument and evidence is a crucial aspect of how science works."
- Chris Malcolm

Recommendation for strawberry protection
 

In article ,
Frank wrote:

On 7/19/2011 5:23 PM, Juniper wrote:
I have some strawberry plants, and the birds keep beating me to the
berries.

Can someone recommend a kind of netting to use to keep them out? What
size holes? You know what I mean --- the intersteces between the
intersections or whatever. My grandmother used to drape old curtains
over the blueberry bushes, but these are strawberries, and the sun and
rain need to get through.

Thanks for any help!

Priscilla

Netting I use for deer with one inch openings should also keep out
birds, but it is not just draping but keeping off the plants or birds
will just peck around it. So you would have to put together a frame to
keep off the strawberries.

Thanks!

Of course, right after I posted I started googling, and I ended up
ordering some 5/8" net and hoops to hold it over the bed in question
from Gardeners' Supply. They're pricey, but I've always found the
quality very good.

Thanks again, to everyone who replied.

Priscilla