Birds & Tomatoes...
 

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?


Mike Stevenson
Eastern Panhandle WV
USDA Zone 6B

Birds & Tomatoes...
 

On Sat, 19 Jul 2003 14:23:48 GMT, "Mike Stevenson"
wrote in rec.gardens.edible:

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?


Mike Stevenson
Eastern Panhandle WV
USDA Zone 6B


Birds may peck at the fruit to obtain water. Set up a bird bath and keep it
filled so that the birds obtain their water from it.
--
Gardening Zones
Canada Zone 5a
United States Zone 3a
Near Ottawa, Ontario

Birds & Tomatoes...
 

From: "Mike Stevenson"

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

It is true that birds will sometimes use a tomato as a source of water--this
can occur in dry times when natural water is scarce and the extent of the bird
population may play a part. it is by no means a normal happening and does not
often occur. but it is a possibility. A bird bath would be a good idea as for
the rest i would not bother unless actual bird attacks do occur..This can vary
widely from area to area so your local situation may differ from other parts of
your state or the nation.

Birds & Tomatoes...
 

In article , "Mike Stevenson" wrote:
Second if it IS a real issue what can I do to combat this?

Tie a CD onto a nearby tree and let it swing in the wind. The flashing light
will chase away birds.

--

Charles
Remove the tYpo to make mind...

Birds & Tomatoes...
 

Birds & Tomatoes...
 

In article ,
"Mike Stevenson" wrote:

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?


We have some tomato plants on our deck as well as around 50 planted out.
On the edge of a deep woods, we have gazillions of birds that frequent
our place including wild turkeys. I have two watering stations for the
birds (front and rear) and have never once had them bother any of the
tomatoes. And there is one turkey that comes on the deck several times
each day to harvest fallen seed from one of the feeders. Turtles will
sometimes go after low ones. They leave a three-pointed mark on the
tomato so you can tell. But the worst pests that just in fact ruined
some of my deck tomatoes are the damn squirrels which I plink at every
opportunity to keep them in control. They chew whole clusters right off
the branches and bite into the fruit willy-nilly. They don't care if
the fruit is ripe or not; they just ruin it. There are three or four
hanging around here and I will get them all in the morning with a little
patience and my trusty 39A.

Phae

Birds & Tomatoes...
 

Birds & Tomatoes...
 

"Mike Stevenson" 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.

I can't grow tomatoes because the birds hollow them out before the
fruit even colours. It probably depends on your location (i.e., the
species of birds you have) whether it will be a problem for you.
Here (Australia) the bandit is a currawong--a bird very similar to
a crow, and just as crafty, inquisitive, and clever. They also pick
off strawberries. One year a lot of cherry tomato plants came up in
an abandoned bed (after the plumbers had worked nearby to unblock a
main sewer!) and I was amazed to find those plants bore heavily yet
were ignored by these birds. Whether this can be generalised or not
to later years was not determined. The cherry tomatoes ripened on the
'vine' and were delicious.

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

I would be wasting my time stringing up CDs or anything like that.
These particular birds are not bird-brains! They are as intelligent as
any dog.
--
John Savage (news reply email invalid; keep news replies in newsgroup)

Birds & Tomatoes...
 

In article ,
John Savage wrote:

"Mike Stevenson" 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.

I can't grow tomatoes because the birds hollow them out before the
fruit even colours. It probably depends on your location (i.e., the
species of birds you have) whether it will be a problem for you.
Here (Australia) the bandit is a currawong--a bird very similar to
a crow, and just as crafty, inquisitive, and clever. They also pick
off strawberries. One year a lot of cherry tomato plants came up in
an abandoned bed (after the plumbers had worked nearby to unblock a
main sewer!) and I was amazed to find those plants bore heavily yet
were ignored by these birds. Whether this can be generalised or not
to later years was not determined. The cherry tomatoes ripened on the
'vine' and were delicious.

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

I would be wasting my time stringing up CDs or anything like that.
These particular birds are not bird-brains! They are as intelligent as
any dog.


We have been using the Contech Scarecrows in our gardens for the last
year since we have an abundance of critters here in Missouri Z5b. Deer
are by far the worst and can mow down an entire bed in one night. If
you are unfamiliar, they have an infrared sensor topped by a very noisy
sprinkler head that goes off when something warm approaches and can be
adjusted for sensitivity. You attach them to a hose and try not to
forget to shut them off before you stroll into the garden. We have 5 or
6 of them now and reasonably full gardens. I'd recommend starting with
just one to see how it works. No doubt it varies with the creature.
Ours keeps away birds, deer, rabbits, squirrels, racoons, opposums,
dogs, cats, skunks, and kyotes. The wild turkeys are scared of them too
but I don't mind them in the garden at all since they eat so many slugs.
They use a nine volt battery and ours lasted all summer last year. But
you have to get clever with arranging the hoses so they are not so
obtrusive. They can be daisy-chained and have quite a long range plus a
two year warranty. The company is pretty nice on the phone when you
have problem.

http://www.scatmat.com/Products/Scarecrow/

The prices vary widely so I recommend Froogleing to get a good price.
Ours averaged about $55 ea and the last ones I got were from Roxbury
farms here in the US. I am not generally into high-tech and HATE
spending money (lol) but if not for this device, we could not keep a
garden at all.

Birds & Tomatoes...
 

In article
,
Phaedrine Stonebridge wrote:

We have been using the Contech Scarecrows in our gardens for the last
year since we have an abundance of critters here in Missouri Z5b. Deer
are by far the worst and can mow down an entire bed in one night. If
you are unfamiliar, they have an infrared sensor topped by a very noisy
sprinkler head that goes off when something warm approaches and can be
adjusted for sensitivity............


LOL it sounds like the deer have an infrared sensor. That's what
happens when I am in a hurry. Of course I meant the Scarecrow.

Birds & Tomatoes...
 

I understood hehe but you did give me a funny image just now of cyborg deer
with infrared sensors and antlers from which they spray jets of mist...

"Phaedrine Stonebridge" wrote in message
...
In article
,
Phaedrine Stonebridge wrote:

We have been using the Contech Scarecrows in our gardens for the last
year since we have an abundance of critters here in Missouri Z5b. Deer
are by far the worst and can mow down an entire bed in one night. If
you are unfamiliar, they have an infrared sensor topped by a very noisy
sprinkler head that goes off when something warm approaches and can be
adjusted for sensitivity............


LOL it sounds like the deer have an infrared sensor. That's what
happens when I am in a hurry. Of course I meant the Scarecrow.