Does anyone know how I can protect my blueberries from the birds?

They haven't even ripened up properly yet and the birds have already
noticed them....Although they haven't started taking them yet...

I have put string and bits of silver foil on them to make a little noise
and flap about bit they are nolonger afraid of that....

Thanks!

The message
from Rick McGreal contains these words:

Does anyone know how I can protect my blueberries from the birds?

They haven't even ripened up properly yet and the birds have already
noticed them....Although they haven't started taking them yet...

I found that wild birds didn't bother with them much, (at least, not
compared to their passion for red currants and cherries) but my hens
used to spend happy hours lurking under the blueberry bushes in eager
anticipation; they wouldn't touch the fruit until it was completely
ripe. I just kept a daily eye on the ripening and made sure I picked
them as soon as.

Janet.

Janet Baraclough wrote in
:

I found that wild birds didn't bother with them much, (at least, not
compared to their passion for red currants and cherries) but my hens
used to spend happy hours lurking under the blueberry bushes in eager
anticipation; they wouldn't touch the fruit until it was completely
ripe. I just kept a daily eye on the ripening and made sure I picked
them as soon as.

Ok....I'll keep an eye on them....They are not ready yet....But I have no
idea how long I have to wait....They are 'full and fat' but no colour
change as of yet....

I'll just wait and see whay happens....

On 17 Jun 2003 07:09:02 GMT, Rick McGreal
wrote:

~Janet Baraclough wrote in
:
~
~ I found that wild birds didn't bother with them much, (at least, not
~ compared to their passion for red currants and cherries) but my hens
~ used to spend happy hours lurking under the blueberry bushes in eager
~ anticipation; they wouldn't touch the fruit until it was completely
~ ripe. I just kept a daily eye on the ripening and made sure I picked
~ them as soon as.
~
~Ok....I'll keep an eye on them....They are not ready yet....But I have no
~idea how long I have to wait....They are 'full and fat' but no colour
~change as of yet....
~
~I'll just wait and see whay happens....

I have the opposite problem - the blackbirds round here love my
blueberries and since this year I've got a rather staggering crop
coming :-), I'm not about to risk the birdies getting them! I've wound
1cm plastic netting around each bush and though they will still peck
at the berries that are close to the net, the inner ones should be
fine. They don't touch them when they're green.

They are best picked a couple or three days after they go blue, at the
point where they fall off in your hand. The flavour is then by far and
away the best. Picking daily is recommended - I freeze mine
immediately, as they thaw out perfectly.


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!

(jane) wrote in
:

I have the opposite problem - the blackbirds round here love my
blueberries and since this year I've got a rather staggering crop
coming :-), I'm not about to risk the birdies getting them! I've wound
1cm plastic netting around each bush and though they will still peck
at the berries that are close to the net, the inner ones should be
fine. They don't touch them when they're green.

Thats the stage they are at now....Mainly green....Although you can see the
'blueness' underneath.....
Wow....Now isn't that stretching the english language to breaking point or
what?! B-)

They are best picked a couple or three days after they go blue, at the
point where they fall off in your hand. The flavour is then by far and
away the best. Picking daily is recommended - I freeze mine
immediately, as they thaw out perfectly.

I was hoping I could freeze them as I don't think I'm gonna get much more
than enough to make a pie with....This is a very young bush and AFAIK its
its first flowering/fruiting.....

In message , Rick McGreal
writes
(jane) wrote in
:

I have the opposite problem - the blackbirds round here love my
blueberries and since this year I've got a rather staggering crop
coming :-), I'm not about to risk the birdies getting them! I've wound
1cm plastic netting around each bush and though they will still peck
at the berries that are close to the net, the inner ones should be
fine. They don't touch them when they're green.

Thats the stage they are at now....Mainly green....Although you can see the
'blueness' underneath.....

We've never had a problem with our couple of bushes and birds, if We did
a few stakes or canes etc. and a bit of nylon netting over the top
would be my answer.

They are best picked a couple or three days after they go blue, at the
point where they fall off in your hand. The flavour is then by far and
away the best. Picking daily is recommended - I freeze mine
immediately, as they thaw out perfectly.

I was hoping I could freeze them as I don't think I'm gonna get much more
than enough to make a pie with....This is a very young bush and AFAIK its
its first flowering/fruiting.....

Ah we just pick them and eat them - yummy.

Well if we get there in time that is - Elinor rather likes
Blueberries.....

This year she has discovered the delights of fresh peas - she disappears
into the veg patch and comes back with a couple of pods for us to open
for her. We are having some success in getting her just to pick the
fuller ones :-)

--
Chris French and Helen Johnson, Leeds
urg Suppliers and References FAQ:
http://www.familyfrench.co.uk/garden/urgfaq/index.html

Chris French and Helen Johnson wrote in
:

Thats the stage they are at now....Mainly green....Although you can
see the 'blueness' underneath.....
We've never had a problem with our couple of bushes and birds, if We
did a few stakes or canes etc. and a bit of nylon netting over the
top would be my answer.

Nylon...Hmmm....Can I use muslin?
I have a little bit of old window netting left that would go over the plant
no probs...Its not very thick.....But would it rot in the weather?

Ah we just pick them and eat them - yummy.

I was hoping to do something with them......

Well if we get there in time that is - Elinor rather likes
Blueberries.....

Mara eats our strawberries....
I'll bet she will nick a few blueberries before they get to the kitchen!

This year she has discovered the delights of fresh peas - she
disappears into the veg patch and comes back with a couple of pods for
us to open for her. We are having some success in getting her just to
pick the fuller ones :-)

She can't rea;lly get at our stuff as its kind of out of the way a
little....And she really isn't tall enough

In message , Rick McGreal
writes
Chris French and Helen Johnson wrote in
:

Thats the stage they are at now....Mainly green....Although you can
see the 'blueness' underneath.....
We've never had a problem with our couple of bushes and birds, if We
did a few stakes or canes etc. and a bit of nylon netting over the
top would be my answer.

Nylon...Hmmm....Can I use muslin?
I have a little bit of old window netting left that would go over the plant
no probs...Its not very thick.....But would it rot in the weather?

Oh use what ever you have. I have some old nylon fruit netting so would
use a bit of that, I'm sure a bit of net curtain will do fine

It won't rot, the UV light will probably degrade it, but that's a longer
term process.

Ah we just pick them and eat them - yummy.

I was hoping to do something with them......

I theory so do I, in reality ............... :-)



--
Chris French and Helen Johnson, Leeds
urg Suppliers and References FAQ:
http://www.familyfrench.co.uk/garden/urgfaq/index.html

Chris French and Helen Johnson wrote in
:

Nylon...Hmmm....Can I use muslin?
I have a little bit of old window netting left that would go over the
plant no probs...Its not very thick.....But would it rot in the
weather?
Oh use what ever you have. I have some old nylon fruit netting so
would use a bit of that, I'm sure a bit of net curtain will do fine

I don't mind if it gets destroyed....
Its just a couple of odd ends left from when I had the nets put up....

It won't rot, the UV light will probably degrade it, but that's a
longer term process.

The only real problem would be the light getting through it....
I'll try it tomorrow and see how it looks...

Ah we just pick them and eat them - yummy.
I was hoping to do something with them......
I theory so do I, in reality ............... :-)

B-D
It never quiet makes it that far, eh?!

In message , Rick McGreal
writes
Chris French and Helen Johnson wrote in
:

Nylon...Hmmm....Can I use muslin?
I have a little bit of old window netting left that would go over the
plant no probs...Its not very thick.....But would it rot in the
weather?

The only real problem would be the light getting through it....
I'll try it tomorrow and see how it looks...

I don't think the light levels will be a problem - they don't exactly
make rooms dark do they?
--
Chris French and Helen Johnson, Leeds
urg Suppliers and References FAQ:
http://www.familyfrench.co.uk/garden/urgfaq/index.html

Chris French and Helen Johnson wrote in
:

The only real problem would be the light getting through it....
I'll try it tomorrow and see how it looks...
I don't think the light levels will be a problem - they don't exactly
make rooms dark do they?

Good point...
And if I'd have put my brain in gear I would have thought of that....

Oh well!

They haven't even ripened up properly yet and the birds have already
noticed them

Erk! When are they supposed to flower? Mine haven't yet. Neither have my
Autumn Bliss Raspberries or Ashmeads Kernal apple


Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

(Steve Harris) wrote in
:

They haven't even ripened up properly yet and the birds have already
noticed them
Erk! When are they supposed to flower?

Mine finished flowering about a month or so ago....ish....

Mine haven't yet.

How young/old is the plant?
Did any buds appear?

Neither have my Autumn Bliss Raspberries or Ashmeads Kernal apple

I don't know much about this kind of thing....But if a few of your fruiting
plants are having problems is sounds like there maybe an underlying
problem...

Maybe someone else can shed some light on it?

In article ,
(Chris French and Helen Johnson) wrote:

It won't rot, the UV light will probably degrade it, but that's a
longer term process.

Form my experience of nylon tents, 12 weeks of cumulative exposure in a
medium sunny part of the UK seriously weakens them. Polyester is
allegedly better but it will be some years before I can confirm that.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

In article ,
(Rick McGreal) wrote:

How young/old is the plant?

1-2 years

Did any buds appear?

No.

But if a few of your fruiting
plants are having problems

Broad beans, tomatoes, land cress, all flowered fine.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com