Bird pecks galore! - Page 2

kath · July 22, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by brownrexx

I always think that it helps to provide a water source for the birds. They may be looking for moisture more than something to eat.

I've heard that so many times but, like fonseca, I've got fresh water all around our property, inside the garden and out, and it doesn't stop the pecking one bit.

kath

Old chef · July 22, 2016

Ill second the idea to keep them fed and watered. I have two bird baths in the garden and really don't have any bird issues. I do pick at first blush however

Old chef

Urbanheirlooms · July 22, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old chef

Ill second the idea to keep them fed and watered. I have two bird baths in the garden and really don't have any bird issues. I do pick at first blush however

Old chef

I have a mocking bird that works my tomatoes day in and day out. They started on my strawberries in April and now are working on my tomatoes. I have several bird feeders, but no bird baths. Knowing my feathered friends, they would peck a tomato and then go to the bird bath for a drink. Heck, I have one bird that is so tame, when I am resting in my chair in my garden, he comes within five feet of me-I think he does it just to be mean and mock me.

Between the birds, deer, groundhogs, stink bugs and other insects, it is a wonder that I can get anything! I also pick my tomatoes when they blush-if I didn't, I don't think I would get much of anything.

brownrexx · July 22, 2016

It's strange how some people have bird pecks and some don't. Maybe it's the type of birds that makes a difference. I have a lot of house sparrows but only one mockingbird (they are very territorial).

In the spring the sparrows are merciless about eating my pea plants but I have never seen bird pecks on my tomatoes except from my free ranging hens! They head right for the garden when I let them out and start pecking the lowest fruits. They have plenty of water available so I know that in this case, they are going for the seeds.

kath · July 22, 2016

I've been gardening in the same spot for 20 years and never had trouble with pecking birds until about 3 years ago. We've always had catbirds and many other species in and around the garden. We've always fed the birds in the winter & feed the hummingbirds in spring; we're surrounded with woods and near water, fields, etc., so it's great bird habitat. Seems the catbirds, which I believe are in the same family as mockingbirds, are the only ones that bother the tomatoes, and if we didn't cover the strawberries and blueberries, we'd lose them, too. They sit on top of the bird net screeching, picking the berries they can reach. Not sure why they never took to the tomatoes before this, though.

kath

Chosemerveille · July 28, 2016

I didn't have problems with birds until last summer. Then, I couldn't catch a break. It was nuts. This year I started hanging blank dvds on strings in and around the tomatoes. I saw this at a revolutionary period homestead I took my students on a field trip to visit. They had them all around the garden, and said it greatly reduced the number of birds messing with stuff.

So far, it seems to be working. I put netting on one of my Orange Wellington plants but I'd like to avoid that in the future as it turns the tomato cage into a lovely sail when the wind picks up. I'll keep adding discs as the plants grow.

Just to be on the safe side I'll be putting up a bird bath and feeder this weekend to cover all bases.

dustdevil · July 28, 2016

I was talking with a woman that was relocated to WI from MS due to Katrina. She told me that they stopped birds from pecking their strawberries by painting rocks red and mixing them in.

Maybe the above idea could be implimented to protect tomatoes?

dono117 · August 7, 2016

Have same prob. but solved with 3' x 6' bags that let in sun and water but keep birds out. Just slip over tomato cages. I grow Big Beef and they grow very high and I use Texas Towers and they just sllp over the top. The only place I have found them was at http://www.mastergardening.com/anima...t-crimped-bag/ They cost $7 but last forever. They also have a 4' size for $5.

Chosemerveille · August 7, 2016

Well,

Putting up blank cds around the tomatoes seems to be working. Which is a good thing, because the bird netting was more trouble than it was worth. I tried it on one tomato cage, and while it did work, I also had to contend with how it turned an 8ft tall tomato cage into a really nice sail when the wind picked up.

jimdkc · October 13, 2016

I've had good luck repelling birds by tying long strips of reflective mylar to the tops of my cages. They move with the slightest breeze, and birds just stay away!

I used pieces of an old insulated shopping bag that I cut into strips, but you could use old mylar balloons, or one of those "emergency space blankets" cut into strips.

I also had pretty good luck with a large inflatable rattlesnake, but my wife made me remove it when the birds stopped visiting her bird feeders!

kath · October 13, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimdkc

I've had good luck repelling birds by tying long strips of reflective mylar to the tops of my cages. They move with the slightest breeze, and birds just stay away!

I used pieces of an old insulated shopping bag that I cut into strips, but you could use old mylar balloons, or one of those "emergency space blankets" cut into strips.

I also had pretty good luck with a large inflatable rattlesnake, but my wife made me remove it when the birds stopped visiting her bird feeders!

Thanks- great tip! I've got mylar that I can use so I'm definitely giving this a try next spring, tying strips to cages and trellis.

kath

July 22, 2016	#17
Old chef Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Long island Posts: 456	Ill second the idea to keep them fed and watered. I have two bird baths in the garden and really don't have any bird issues. I do pick at first blush however Old chef

July 22, 2016	#19
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	It's strange how some people have bird pecks and some don't. Maybe it's the type of birds that makes a difference. I have a lot of house sparrows but only one mockingbird (they are very territorial). In the spring the sparrows are merciless about eating my pea plants but I have never seen bird pecks on my tomatoes except from my free ranging hens! They head right for the garden when I let them out and start pecking the lowest fruits. They have plenty of water available so I know that in this case, they are going for the seeds.

July 22, 2016	#20
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	I've been gardening in the same spot for 20 years and never had trouble with pecking birds until about 3 years ago. We've always had catbirds and many other species in and around the garden. We've always fed the birds in the winter & feed the hummingbirds in spring; we're surrounded with woods and near water, fields, etc., so it's great bird habitat. Seems the catbirds, which I believe are in the same family as mockingbirds, are the only ones that bother the tomatoes, and if we didn't cover the strawberries and blueberries, we'd lose them, too. They sit on top of the bird net screeching, picking the berries they can reach. Not sure why they never took to the tomatoes before this, though. kath

July 28, 2016	#21
Chosemerveille Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: West Orange, NJ Zone 6a/b Posts: 37	I didn't have problems with birds until last summer. Then, I couldn't catch a break. It was nuts. This year I started hanging blank dvds on strings in and around the tomatoes. I saw this at a revolutionary period homestead I took my students on a field trip to visit. They had them all around the garden, and said it greatly reduced the number of birds messing with stuff. So far, it seems to be working. I put netting on one of my Orange Wellington plants but I'd like to avoid that in the future as it turns the tomato cage into a lovely sail when the wind picks up. I'll keep adding discs as the plants grow. Just to be on the safe side I'll be putting up a bird bath and feeder this weekend to cover all bases.

July 28, 2016	#22
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	I was talking with a woman that was relocated to WI from MS due to Katrina. She told me that they stopped birds from pecking their strawberries by painting rocks red and mixing them in. Maybe the above idea could be implimented to protect tomatoes?

August 7, 2016	#23
dono117 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: fl Posts: 5	Have same prob. but solved with 3' x 6' bags that let in sun and water but keep birds out. Just slip over tomato cages. I grow Big Beef and they grow very high and I use Texas Towers and they just sllp over the top. The only place I have found them was at http://www.mastergardening.com/anima...t-crimped-bag/ They cost $7 but last forever. They also have a 4' size for $5.

October 13, 2016	#25
jimdkc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Independence, MO Posts: 7	I've had good luck repelling birds by tying long strips of reflective mylar to the tops of my cages. They move with the slightest breeze, and birds just stay away! I used pieces of an old insulated shopping bag that I cut into strips, but you could use old mylar balloons, or one of those "emergency space blankets" cut into strips. I also had pretty good luck with a large inflatable rattlesnake, but my wife made me remove it when the birds stopped visiting her bird feeders!