If you look around your garden, you will usually see several birds lurking nearby. In many ways, these creatures are a welcome addition to your outdoor space, as they can also feed on unwanted pests. But there are also some downsides to letting birds roam freely in your garden: birds will nibble on fruits and vegetables, dig holes in the ground for worms and grubs, and eat pollinators. If you want to keep birds away from those greens and protect your fruit and vegetables in the garden, you’ll find some good advice here.
Keep birds away with plant protection netting
Creating barriers from garden netting is probably the most effective way to deter birds. Plant protection netting protects crops from hungry wildlife, but beneficial insects such as honey bees can still get in to pollinate them.
But be careful!
It is very important to be careful and alert when using nets. Always tighten the nets, as loose nets invite animals to become entangled. Standard bird netting (with holes larger than 1cm) can be the most dangerous for wildlife. Animals can get into such nets, because it is easier to insert a muzzle, head, beak or leg into them. It is better to do without the green nets and find, for example, a blue thin net, which is better suited for birds. It will also protect your plants from other pests such as cherry fruit fly, aphids, beetles and more
You should also invest in a high-quality, UV-resistant mesh that will last for years. Conventional cheap green netting is not durable – it tears and breaks, posing a threat to wildlife and the environment.
Protect the garden from birds with garden wool
Garden fleece is often used to protect plants from frost in the colder months, but it can also be used year-round to protect small plants from birds. Cover your chard and lettuce with a thin white material to prevent birds in your neighborhood from picking your vegetables before you have a chance. Weight the sides with stones or pegs and roll up the wool when it’s time to harvest.
Scare birds away with reflective objects
Shiny objects repel birds, so any reflective surface can act as a deterrent. You can use a variety of household items: old CDs, cake tins, shiny strips of aluminum foil and reflective tape.
Wind chimes in the garden
Objects that make sudden sounds or movements, such as wind chimes, can be very effective and practical bird deterrents. If you want to use wind chimes to deter native birds, consider placing them in your garden, as they won’t do much good on your patio away from the action. If you can find wind chimes made of metal or other shiny reflective material, they are even more effective. There are also electronic ultrasonic devices that are supposed to scare away birds and are not even noticeable to the human ear.
Plastic predators and toy snakes
Some gardeners swear by having a plastic owl or hawk in their yard. For best effect, move the decoy around the garden to make it look like a bird of prey in different places. If the bait moves or makes noise, that’s even better. Another bait you can use is plastic snakes. Spread them on the beds and scare the birds and animals.
Keep the birds away: build a scarecrow
Scarecrows work if they are moved regularly. This should be remembered, regardless of whether you buy it or build it yourself. Choose a stuffed animal that stands on a stake that can be pulled out and stuck in the ground in another part of the yard. It is also useful to dress or decorate them with red and yellow colors. It is also useful to change the Scarecrow’s outfit or accessories from time to time.
Your pets can help
Your beloved pets can be your best weapon to keep birds from eating your garden produce. A well-supervised dog will spend the rest of its life chasing birds out of your yard. If you have a cat outside, she’ll keep the birds away, but she can also cause problems herself, turning loose soil into a makeshift litter box and digging up your prized plants while she hides her treasures.
Keep birds away with chicken wire on the floor
Attach wire to the ground to protect newly planted seeds or newly sown tubers from damage by birds that scratch and peck at the ground. As the seedlings begin to grow, the wire can be raised from the ground on stakes for added protection.
Plant flowers that scare away birds
You can prevent certain birds from invading your landscape by using protective plants. Pigeons, for example, which feed mainly on plants from the cabbage family, do not like to cross dense areas. You can plant a dense border of annual flowers around the areas of your garden you want to protect, but in combination with netting or a visual deterrent, this is ultimately the best defense.