Gardeners spend a lot of effort to get a good harvest of berries, including strawberries. But even if it was obtained, if diseases and insect attacks were avoided, if the weather was good, the berry harvest may still be less than normal. The reason is such lovers of everything sweet as birds. And one of the most effective solutions against them is just a bird-proof net for strawberries.
Nuances of use
There is a whole arsenal of means that are designed to protect plantings from beaks aiming from the sky. But still, it is mesh structures that must be recognized as the most effective option for “garden air defense.” Almost all known bird species living in Russia pose a danger to fruits. The only exceptions are predators. A high-quality protective solution should stop crows and sparrows, rooks and cranes, pigeons and tits equally well.
Compared to the grid, all other solutions to the problem are inferior:
- keeping birds of prey is expensive;
- cats and dogs trample the beds more than drive away crop destroyers;
- Birds quickly get used to scarecrows and sound signals;
- tapes and old disks work only in sunny weather, and rattling cans - in the presence of wind;
- No one will continuously guard the garden, then you will have to devote your whole life to it.
How is protection organized?
Polypropylene and steel nets are equally suitable for protecting the garden from birds. It does not matter what the cell configuration is: rhombus or rectangle. If the structure is made and designed correctly, 100% protection is guaranteed while allowing heat, water and light to pass through at the same time. Also, all pollen-moving insects can easily penetrate through the cells. There are several ways to install bird protection netting.
Most often they start by driving stakes along the outer border of the bed. The net is already stretched along them, raising it 300–350 mm above the strawberry bushes, so as not to interfere with their growth. In another option, a structure similar to a greenhouse is created. Arcs made of metal or plastic are taken in the same way. They are already becoming the frame for the fence.
In addition to a simple mesh structure, they often try to secure a covering material that is impenetrable to sunlight. Such materials are supplied, for example, under the brands “Spunbond” and “Agrospan”. Birds simply cannot see what exactly is in the beds. However, such protection, while effective, cancels natural pollination and reduces the quality of the crop, because the insolation of strawberries also decreases.
When closing the beds, it is necessary to hammer in the pegs at intervals of 450–500 mm. At the bottom, the material is fixed using bricks or another holding product.
If tensioned agricultural material is used, it must be pulled tighter, otherwise the mesh will sag in the middle. It will be necessary to raise the mesh line 150–200 mm above the bushes.
It is possible to hide strawberries from birds in this way, and it will be difficult for them to get to the protected berries. But there are a number of disadvantages:
- you will have to use the most dense mesh with a fine mesh (fishing mesh is unsuitable);
- finding the optimal material is very difficult;
- to protect a large vegetable garden, the design will be expensive;
- It will be more difficult to care for the plantings;
- You won’t be able to just pick a few passing berries while walking along the path;
- frequent lifting of the covering material during everyday use quickly wears it out;
- many birds become entangled in nets trying to get to the crop, and when trying to free them, they can bite and scratch;
- The simplest mesh thrown over the beds may not seem aesthetically pleasing enough, and securing it in a more beautiful way can be more difficult.
Therefore, the use of special sets of arcs to form the frame turns out to be quite an attractive solution. These arcs can be made from:
- quality steel;
- bamboo;
- various types of plastic.
In any case, the arches are lightweight and are installed without preparing the foundation. The number of arc elements is determined by how long the bed is formed. The distance between the individual arcs varies from 0.6 to 0.8 m. When the necessary fasteners are installed, you can use them to tighten and attach the mesh. The end result should be something like a fragment of a tunnel.
If arches of great height are installed, it will be possible to move inside, as in a full-fledged greenhouse. Then subsequent care of strawberries and removal of ripe berries are noticeably simplified.
In this case, a plastic net with a small mesh is made (in which the birds will not get entangled). It is recommended to select a material of high rigidity that sag little. Several pieces are picked up, closing the end parts of the “tunnel”. If this is not done, all the work basically loses its meaning, because the birds will simply walk around it on the ground, very quickly finding an accessible loophole.
However, this design also has a drawback: it can only make very narrow beds. After completing the fruit collection, the net must be removed and the frame dismantled in order to use it again next season.
Of steel
Made from bamboo
Box and mesh
There is a solution that is completely devoid of such shortcomings. However, to implement it, you will have to have specific skills. Those who know how to handle carpentry and carpentry tools can do the job without difficulty. They start by selecting boards of suitable size. A box is already formed from them, in which crosspieces directed transversely are placed in increments of 0.6–0.8 m.
Corner bars attached with screws are suitable for connecting boards. The structure should have a moderate height so that the strawberries do not lose access to the sun and air. If the lid does not come into contact with the tops of the bushes, this is already enough. Other sizes are selected individually each time, taking into account the dimensions of the bed. The corners are equipped with peculiar legs made of pointed shortened bars.
Important: if the bed is very long, auxiliary legs are installed, which are driven into the ground every 1–2 m along the long edge. Since the supports will go into the ground, they are lightly burned or (which is much preferable) treated with preparations that stop rotting.
When installing the box, the legs are driven into the ground with confident but careful blows of the hammer. Wood is often protected with a primer. Frames are prepared exactly to the size of the sections, they are attached to hinged hinges with an opening outward. A mesh is already mounted on top of the covers.
To learn how to install a bird net, watch the following video.
In every garden plot, birds coexist with humans. Experienced gardeners are wary of such a neighborhood, since the harvest on the site becomes their favorite delicacy.
First of all, you need to think about how to protect strawberries from birds. There are many measures to protect berries from birds.
Bird species from which protection is needed
Among the birds that have settled in summer cottages, there are many that are very fond of strawberries. After their invasion, the owners are left with only bushes and pecked berries. It's nice when starlings sing in the garden, but experienced gardeners know that this is an alarming sign for strawberries. Starlings are very fond of garden strawberries, so they settle next to them. But not only this type of bird is dangerous for the crop. Sparrows, pigeons, crows, rooks and tits, as well as magpies, will not refuse this delicious dessert. They give preference not only to garden strawberries, but also to currants, raspberries, cherries and other berries.
The winged neighbors feed only on ripe and healthy berries, so during the ripening period, whole flocks of birds raid the gardens. If no measures are taken, the berries will be completely destroyed.
Experts and summer residents themselves have come up with many ways to protect the strawberry harvest.
Methods of protection
Experienced gardeners begin to take care of the harvest even during the flowering period, carrying out preparatory measures. You can protect berries using the following methods:
- covering materials, for example, mesh;
- shine and brightness of objects placed on the site;
- toys that make loud noises;
- a simple scarecrow;
- electronic repellent devices;
- planting plants that are more attractive to birds than strawberries;
- other devices.
These methods of protection can be used individually, but their combined effect is more effective.
How to keep birds out with netting
The net is one of the simple and effective methods for protecting the strawberry crop. It is made of plastic or metal with very small cells. The mesh prevents birds from invading the plantation, but allows sunlight, heat and moisture to pass through perfectly. Moreover, such shelter provides unhindered access to the plant for pollinating insects. If you have a net, you can safely feed the plants. They install a net around the perimeter of the strawberry beds, drive pegs into the ground 35 cm higher than the plants, and pull the net over these pegs. You can build a frame like a greenhouse and also cover it with a net. When harvesting, the net is raised and then closed again.
Shine and brightness of objects placed on the site
Old CDs and video cassettes can be used as shiny and bright objects. They, as well as the ribbon taken from them, are hung in the garden in sunny areas. In windy weather, a web of ribbons will create movement and rustle, thereby scaring away birds. Advice. Alternative items for placement in the garden area can include foil, Christmas tree decorations, and plastic bags.
How to protect yourself with toys that make loud noises
You can make a loud toy with your own hands using available materials. They often use empty tin cans, tying them together and attaching a mirror to them. For birds, the illusion of bright shine and rumble will be created. Some Feng Shui items are excellent for these purposes, for example, “wind chimes” or bells made of metal tubes. But you need to understand that these objects will only scare away for a while, then the birds will get used to them. The disadvantage of this method is that it can only protect in windy weather, and the constant noise can bother the summer residents themselves.
How to protect berries with a scarecrow
Scarecrow is an old and effective bird repellent. They create it the size of a human being. Two planks or sticks are knocked down crosswise, the long one serves as the body, and the short one serves as the hands. The bag is filled with straw or other available means - this will be the body of the scarecrow. They dress him in human clothes, which are unnecessary and old.
The result is a stationary, frightening object, to which the birds also become accustomed. Therefore, experienced gardeners supply it with additional accessories, for example, attaching rattles and shiny children’s pinwheels to it. A noisy and bright scarecrow will serve as a reliable guard for the strawberry harvest.
Electronic repellent devices
Currently, a number of electronic repellent devices have been invented. They help effectively protect berry plantations from birds. Of course, on the one hand, this pleases gardeners, but on the other hand, it is alarming, because the fight against harmful insects will then have to be waged alone. For example, summer residents themselves will have to save strawberries from ants.
The included recordings of the voices of birds of prey, which, in turn, are also effective in the fight against rodents, are a good help in fighting birds. But such control measures must be coordinated with neighbors, because they may be unhappy with the constant noise in neighboring areas.
In recent years, ultrasonic repellers have often been used. They can protect strawberries and have a negative effect on birds, which find the sound frequency very unpleasant. But to the human ear it is absolutely elusive.
Planting Plants More Attractive to Birds Than Strawberries
One way to protect the crop is to plant plants that are more attractive to birds than strawberries. Among them are all varieties of rowan, sea buckthorn or cherry. This method is not considered the most effective, as it causes yield losses for other plants, but reduces damage to the strawberry crop.
How to protect strawberries using alternative methods
The presence of an artificial pond or waterfall on the site is considered quite acceptable. This will attract birds to the garden, but to drink the water. And they will fly to neighboring areas to have a snack.
Summer residents like to hang white ribbons on trees, believing that birds do not like the light color and its movement. But in fact, the color can be any, just be sure to be bright. The movement of the tapes is more deterrent. It is recommended to hang them on nearby trees.
Onions, chopped and spread between strawberry beds or hung on trees, do a good job of repelling.
Advice. The most natural way to scare away birds is to have a cat on the property. He will not be able to catch all the individuals, and this is not necessary, but he will, of course, scare them.
The use of chemical bird control agents or brutal shooting is not recommended, because birds provide an invaluable service in the fight against insect pests of garden crops. The use of crude control measures is justified only in case of a massive invasion of birds on the crop of cultivated plants. But this is only acceptable in rare cases.
It is best to establish good relations with such neighbors by providing them with year-round food in special feeders, where you can sometimes put delicious strawberries. And the birds will repay with kindness and high-quality work, for example, by getting rid of cockchafer larvae, which cause irreparable harm to garden plants.
By applying humane comprehensive measures aimed at protecting strawberries from birds, you can maintain a full harvest of berries and good neighborly relations with birds.
Strawberries are not only the favorite berry of many people with a sweet tooth, but also a crop that requires constant care. To reap a bountiful harvest, the plant must be watered regularly, remove tendrils, dry leaves, fertilize the soil, and much more. Moreover, this must be done clearly within the allotted time frame, and not whenever you want. And therefore it is doubly offensive when the beds are brazenly attacked by voracious birds. How to protect strawberries from birds? This will be discussed further.
Gardeners spend a lot of time and effort caring for plants, but it all pays off when the first berries begin to appear under the leaves.
Birds on the site
This is a pressing problem; the struggle between gardeners and birds has been going on for a very long time. That is why the arsenal of summer residents is constantly replenished with new means of protecting crops from birds. Each method has both its pros and cons. Some remedies are improved over time, and the least effective ones are forgotten. But in any case, each owner has his own favorite ways of dealing with winged thieves.
The main feathered pests are starlings, sparrows, magpies, tits and pigeons. Moreover, they are concerned not only with strawberries, but also with raspberries, currants, cherries, cherries and other garden crops. A flock of such birds can destroy your crop in a matter of hours, so there is a problem. Such a confrontation could drag on for the entire season, until the fall.
There are many methods of protection, so you will have plenty to choose from. However, you should not resort to drastic methods, since birds protect our crops from pests: caterpillars, beetles, larvae, etc. Provide your feathered partners with a water bowl and get ready to choose the most humane means of protection.
Electronic devices
How to scare birds away from strawberries? This can be done using audio-recorded calls of predatory hawks, owls, or warnings about the danger of magpies, blackbirds, starlings, etc. This method is especially suitable for owners of large plantations.
Previously, to purchase such an audio recording, you had to find a specialized agricultural store, but nowadays it can be purchased on the Internet.
By the way, audio recordings are suitable for fighting not only birds, but also rodents. Many gardeners prefer this method. With the help of loud, unpleasant sounds, you will not only repel pests from your crop, but also cause the indignation of your neighbors. Therefore, this method is not suitable for everyone. To solve this problem, there are special electronic devices that have no effect on humans, but cause severe discomfort in birds and force them to leave the area.
You can also use loudspeakers or electronic devices that produce sharp, loud sounds such as claps or gunshots, imitating the sound of a siren. Some devices light up or flash brightly when triggered.
If birds peck at strawberries, you can use old audio or video cassettes, or more precisely, their films. To do this, simply remove the tape from the device and secure it over the entire area. Stretch the web over the bushes; to be sure, you can make a second layer at a height of 30 cm from the plants.
The dazzling shine of magnetic tape in the sun scares away birds. In addition, due to the wind, the film emits ultrasound, which causes fear in birds. To protect strawberries, you can use any shiny objects that move in the wind, reflect the sun, or rustle. For example, plastic bags, strips of foil, rain from the Christmas tree and much more. Secure them to trees near the garden bed.
Use old, unwanted DVDs and CDs to control birds. Drill holes in them, insert twine, tie tightly and hang over the area. They will sway in the wind, shimmer brightly, and create the appearance of movement. The birds won't like it.
Covering material
Bird netting is perhaps the most reliable material; experienced gardeners recommend this particular product for crop protection. Buy mesh in agricultural stores or online. The material is metal or plastic, most often polypropylene, which has square or diamond-shaped small cells. It protects the strawberries from birds, allows water and sunlight to pass through. What is important is that this does not prevent insects from pollinating the plant. When carrying out foliar feeding, the net will not interfere, so you don’t even have to remove it.
How can you use it to cover strawberries? Everything is quite simple: drive pegs into the ground around the bed, pull the net tightly at a height of 35 cm from the bushes. It can also be attached to a frame in the form of metal arcs or bamboo sticks. This way you can go inside and pick berries without having to disassemble the structure every time. After harvesting, the net can be removed. But in general, this method works and is suitable for gardens, cottages and city apartments.
Scarecrow
If sparrows are pecking at your strawberries, make a stuffed one:
- Connect two boards crosswise - this will be the body.
- Separately, take a bag and fill it with dry grass or newspapers - this is the head.
- Connect the body with the head, put unnecessary things on your scarecrow, a hat, draw a face.
The downside is that the birds get used to the stuffed animal very quickly. Over time, the scarecrow becomes a location for the feathered bullies.
Many gardeners combine two methods: they decorate the scarecrow with plastic bags, magnetic tapes, and old computer disks. They move in the wind, shimmer in the sun, and rustle, which causes fear in birds. You can also attach a variety of rattles to the stuffed animal, which will knock and scare away the birds.
Scarecrows in the form of birds of prey are extremely popular among summer residents. For example, a plastic owl in shiny ribbons with an audio recording of his cry. You can purchase such a kit in a store or online.
Rattles and wind chimes
You can use homemade ratchets as a means of protection. To create them, any trash (preferably metal) that makes a knock when colliding is suitable. Tie old beer or tin cans together; they rattle a lot in the wind, and this is not to the taste of birds. Birds generally do not like noise, as they have perfect hearing. This method may work, but only in windy conditions. 
Some gardeners use air bells to scare away birds. Despite the soothing melody, they are able to detain birds for a while. Pests quickly get used to sharp sounds and after some time they no longer pay attention to them.
Colored repellers
There is an opinion that birds are afraid of the color white, and therefore some gardeners stretch white fabric along the plot. If there are trees near the beds, then white ribbons made of fabric or film can be tied to the branches. It is not known exactly how effective this method is.
Blue and red flags can be used as colored repellers. Place them in the bed between the plants.
Homemade turntables
Don't throw away empty plastic bottles; you can use them to make a small windmill, windmill, etc. These spinning and fluttering crafts not only repel winged pests, but are also a decorative element for decorating the yard. But unfortunately, birds quickly get used to the turntables. 
Distracting Cultures
The most humane method of protecting a strawberry plantation from birds is to plant distracting crops. Plant rowan, cherry or sea buckthorn on the plot, this way you will distract the birds from the garden bed. However, no one guarantees that birds will give preference to these crops and will not fly to feast on strawberries.
And if you create an artificial water source near fruit trees, then the birds will spend most of their time near it. The sensitive hearing of birds will immediately catch the murmur of a stream or the sound of a small waterfall. They will flock en masse to these sounds.
The downside is that after resting near the source, a flock of birds can still pay attention to the strawberry beds, which they will empty in a few minutes.
Other methods of bird control
There are other methods of crop protection; they are less popular, but, according to gardeners, they are effective.
There is always someone on the Internet who will share their experience. And we will remember. And tell us your ways.
I think many gardeners are faced with the problem of how to protect their strawberry plantation from voracious birds. Especially if there is a forest near the site, where the birds feel very at ease. I encountered the same problem a few years ago. Sparrows have taken to our site. They swoop down on the strawberry beds in a whole flock and choose the largest and ripest berries! I started looking for a radical way that I could do with my own hands for protecting strawberries from birds.
I read a bunch of literature. I found a lot of offers there. The most radical method, which is mostly proposed, is to cover the strawberry plantation with a fine mesh. A good, effective method, but it has a number of disadvantages. We need to find such a grid somewhere. What you need is not always on sale. Then, when enough berries are ripe for picking, the net can be removed for a while. What if you decided to just eat a few berries from the garden? It is inconvenient to open the mesh every time. And aesthetically, a bed of strawberries covered with netting doesn’t look very good.
It is proposed to place a scarecrow in the beds. But our birds have long chosen the shoulders of this stuffed animal to look for sweeter berries.
Another way is to hang empty cans in pairs. When there is wind, they will rattle and scare away birds. And when there is no wind?
In one place I found a very interesting way to scare away birds using old CDs! You need to punch a hole along the edge of the old disk, thread the twine and hang it all next to the beds. The discs shimmering in the sun will scare away birds. I wonder where I can get a bunch of old CDs? Well, I have two or three. which you won’t mind making holes in.
And this method gave me a rather simple idea. Well, it was invented and done. I placed small pegs, about a meter high, at the ends of the beds. He pulled the twine between them. Then I rummaged through the box of Christmas tree decorations. I think almost everyone has such a box in a treasured corner of their home, waiting for the next New Year's holiday. And I found an interesting thing. Christmas tree rain! Long, narrow strips of bright, shiny polyethylene. In! I tied the raindrops to a stretched twine and began to observe. And it worked! The rains are very light and at the slightest movement of air they begin to “move” and sparkle. The robber sparrows flew in a couple of times, circled and circled, but did not dare to land. That's all. I didn’t see any other birds on the site. And our strawberry beds looked festive and elegantly decorated until the fall.
Berry plantings delight the eyes of farmers... and not only them. Every time the harvest season approaches, dispassionate glances are already looking at the vegetable gardens and orchards from above. And we must be prepared to give a proper rebuff to the feathered “sweet lovers.”
Peculiarities
There are many options for saving sweet fruits. But it is important to figure out exactly how to protect and preserve Victoria and other varieties of strawberries most effectively. In recent years, the number of birds trying to peck strawberries and other berry crops, leaving only bare shoots for people, has increased significantly. The most dangerous situation is when there is:
- pond;
- lake;
- other gardens;
- cemeteries.
Who attacks the landings and how?
It is important to understand that not only blackbirds peck strawberries - other feathered creatures also share their passion for them. Pigeon and drake, sparrow and tit, starling and nightingale, goldfinch and rook... it doesn’t matter, they all love “dessert”. Moreover, birds often move from one plant to another. And soon their beaks will be aimed at raspberries, cherries and so on. Therefore, protection methods must be used, especially if summer residents visit the site occasionally.
Basic ways to prevent attacks
First of all, if birds are eating berries, you need to make a fence out of mesh. This is the most effective technique and does not pose a danger to flying creatures. Special meshes can be either metal or polypropylene. The difference between them is also related to the geometry of the cells: they are made in the form of rhombuses or rectangles. Mesh structures fully cover the plantings from the inhabitants of the sky, but do not interfere with the flow of light and water. Pollinating insects can freely penetrate through the net, and it does not interfere with feeding the leaves.
It is important to take into account several nuances:
- The easiest way is to drive stakes around the perimeter and stretch the net 0.3 m above the bushes;
- you can make something like a greenhouse when the network rests on arcs;
- When harvesting and other work, the edges can be raised slightly and returned to their place.
Alternatives
Using CDs as well as DVDs and similar media for recording data is a great hint. Old unnecessary blanks or tapes removed from cassettes for tape recorders and VCRs can be hung in well-lit places. But it is important to take into account that the protection works mainly in sunny weather. There is a risk that wind and rain will tear off the protective discs and tapes or that small birds will still bypass them. In addition, it will not be possible to hang all this on the strawberry bushes themselves (unlike cherries and other crops of sufficient height) - you will have to create additional supports.
You can also use anything that reflects light: unnecessary polished metal objects, fragments of mirrors, aluminum foil, Christmas tree decorations. But excess brightness and glare can be tiresome for the eyes. Therefore, it is also worth thinking about sound means to scare away birds. Ten to twenty cans of beer or canned food tied to each other can create a deafening noise for winged birds. Additionally, it is worth hanging a small pocket mirror: it will complement the acoustic protection with optical effects.
The obvious disadvantage of all sound methods is that the noise quickly bothers the owners of the site and can cause scandals with neighbors.
The cans exhibit their protective properties only in windy conditions. In addition, birds can quickly adapt to the noise, and soon it will no longer bother them. A scarecrow, especially one combined with rattles or bands, can also lose its effectiveness quite quickly.
Equipment that broadcasts the calls of hawks and owls and other animals that hunt herbivorous birds also helps to escape from rodents. But this is for now, especially considering the negative experience of some airports. They also tried to use this method, but the birds soon discovered the deception. In addition, few people will like harsh sounds.
The general conclusion is this: a method has not yet been invented that would be as universal, reliable and effective as covering strawberries with a net.
For another simple and interesting way to protect strawberries from birds, see the following video.
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