Hello,

I have a cherry tree in the garden which fruited this year for the 1st time
(it's only a few years old). The cherries were fabulous. Unfortunately the
local birds agreed, and stripped the tree bare. Other than throwing a net
over the tree, any ideas for next year ?

KK

On 15 July, 12:22, "dido22" wrote:
Hello,

I have a cherry tree in the garden which fruited this year for the 1st time
(it's only a few years old). The cherries were fabulous. Unfortunately the
local birds agreed, and stripped the tree bare. Other than throwing a net
over the tree, any ideas for next year ?

KK

I live in a cherry growing area. All the commercial cherry trees round
here are in cages to keep the birds off. Your only other chance is
bird scarers. You need to have selection of devices and keep changing
them. They get used to ant device after a few days.

"dido22" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I have a cherry tree in the garden which fruited this year for the 1st
time (it's only a few years old). The cherries were fabulous.
Unfortunately the local birds agreed, and stripped the tree bare. Other
than throwing a net over the tree, any ideas for next year ?

I have the same problem. The birds take almost all my cherries just before
they are ripe.
I cannot suggest anything other than to net your tree, if it's still small
enough to do so.
It's not an option for me, my cherry tree is enormous, maybe 50-60ft,
planted way back when by previous inhabitants. It's really frustrating to
see such a big tree full of fruit and know I'm not likely to get any.

Tina

On Jul 15, 12:22*pm, "dido22" wrote:
Hello,

I have a cherry tree in the garden which fruited this year for the 1st time
(it's only a few years old). The cherries were fabulous. Unfortunately the
local birds agreed, and stripped the tree bare. Other than throwing a net
over the tree, any ideas for next year ?

KK

No, sorry. If you've got squirrels as well the cage had better be wire
netting - squirrels will destroy anything else. That's the solution I
resorted to in the garden where I worked. If your cherries are on Colt
or better still the dwarfing rootstock Gisela 5 then cageing is quite
doable. it does make them expensive cherries but they're delicious.

Rod

"dido22" wrote in
:

Hello,

I have a cherry tree in the garden which fruited this year for the 1st
time (it's only a few years old). The cherries were fabulous.
Unfortunately the local birds agreed, and stripped the tree bare.
Other than throwing a net over the tree, any ideas for next year ?

KK


From advice of several friends who have young cherry trees the only answer
is to keep the tree half standard by heavy pruning and use(as you
suggested) netting.

I have 2 cherry trees which I planted last year, Helderfinger and Morello
and I had a few fruits this year most were eaten by birds.

I know it's a pain but that is the only economical answer.

I am pruning mine in the next next few days when I get time to do it,
though I am not sure how to keep them at a height that is managable to get
a ladder or stepladder to chuck a net over, but it can and will be done.

BTW the Helderfinger fruit I managed to taste were SOOO good, they
resembled a babies bottom in appearance and were SOOO juicy, the Morello
were just round and were ok. but insipid by comparison.

Another BTW, I know nothing about pruning cherry trees so can someone with
practical experience give us the a-z on this?
I know I can google of course but hands on experience is hard to find.

Anyway I hope I have helped dido22 (aka KK)

PtePike

dido22 wrote:
I have a cherry tree in the garden which fruited this year for the 1st time
(it's only a few years old). The cherries were fabulous. Unfortunately the
local birds agreed, and stripped the tree bare. Other than throwing a net
over the tree, any ideas for next year ?

Same here, our 6 year old tree had its first proper crop - had one or two in
the past couple of years, but this year we got 20-30 decent cherries. And
in the end Nick did just that - threw a giant net over the whole thing for a
month or so. Figured there was no other way.

(Still getting leaf curl, probably caused by aphids, which are in turn being
farmed by the ants - glue strips just aren't keeping them off!)

"dido22" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I have a cherry tree in the garden which fruited this year for the 1st
time (it's only a few years old). The cherries were fabulous.
Unfortunately the local birds agreed, and stripped the tree bare. Other
than throwing a net over the tree, any ideas for next year ?


Depending on how large your garden is you could always plant 3 or 4 more
cherry trees.
After a certain point you get more cherries than the local birds can eat.

There is a wildlife area near to us which has loads of cherry trees planted
and there are always plenty of ripe fruit despite the local bird population.

Cheers

Dave R

P.S. I think the advice used to be to always plant two cherry trees - one
for the birds and one for yourself.

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

On Jul 17, 12:47*pm, "David WE Roberts"
wrote:
"dido22" wrote in message

...

Hello,

I have a cherry tree in the garden which fruited this year for the 1st
time (it's only a few years old). The cherries were fabulous.
Unfortunately the local birds agreed, and stripped the tree bare. Other
than throwing a net over the tree, any ideas for next year ?

Depending on how large your garden is you could always plant 3 or 4 more
cherry trees.
After a certain point you get more cherries than the local birds can eat.

There is a wildlife area near to us which has loads of cherry trees planted
and there are always plenty of ripe fruit despite the local bird population.

Cheers

Dave R

P.S. I think the advice used to be to always plant two cherry trees - one
for the birds and one for yourself.

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

They're wild cherries - the birds will leave those alone 'til they've
polished off the domestic cherries.

Rod