In most cases, birds do not do a lot of damage to a garden. However, in suburban areas when there are few other food sources nearby, birds can wreak havoc on gardens. At times, even in rural areas near large commercial agricultural plantings, birds can still focus on a garden and do significant damage. If the birds have been picking over your garden, here are some tips that you can use to prevent bird damage.
Mesh Netting
About the only way to completely protect your vegetable garden from bird damage is to cover plants with mesh netting. The netting allows the plant to receive light and moisture while keeping birds out. However, the extensive use of netting over a large garden can be a lot of work. Using netting at peak times, while plants are young and vegetables are nearing harvest, may be the best way to use netting without making it difficult to care for the plants at other times.
Get a Cat
While you are either a cat person or you aren’t, cats can be an effective way to keep birds out of your garden. Though federal and state laws often prevent humans from killing many types of birds, cats are not aware of this prohibition. Even a well fed housecat that has little interest in actually eating a bird can provide a deterrent to birds. Once the birds see the cat near your garden, the birds are likely to find another place to feed where predators are not present. Cats will also help to repel mice and other rodents from the garden.
There are a lot of devices on the market designed to repel birds from fruit plants and trees and vegetable gardens. Some devices are very simple and easy to use such as fake owls and reflective tape. Homemade repellants such as scarecrows can even be fun to make and dress up. Other devices that provide noise and movement to repel birds are more complex and costly. Each of these devices can be effective depending on your personal needs. A gardener should check out the commercial products on the market and decide which are best for his or her situation.
Keep Them Guessing
Over time birds will become accustomed to whatever method you use to repel them from your garden. A gardener should make certain to change the devices used to repel birds on a regular basis so that the birds do not have a chance to get used to the repellents that you use. Scheduling some small changes to your bird repellents every Saturday morning may be a good way to keep them effective and to keep the birds out.
Keep it Clean
As your vegetables and fruits begin to ripen, keep them picked. By removing ripe foods and removing rotted or damaged items, birds will not be as drawn to your garden as there is little for them to eat. If you have enough land, you might consider planting sunflowers and dumping garden refuse well away from your garden to attract the birds to a different area. Of course, bird houses, feeders and baths should not be placed near the garden.
