Bird Netting for Tree Protection, the Best Method to Deter Birds

Protecting fruit trees from birds is a challenging job every year. Farmers, fruit producers usually know that they can expect visitors when their fruit trees are full of pears, cherries or plums. Hungry birds steal the most beautiful fruits. They can cause great damage to any farm. The most common birds that attack fruit trees are the American Crow, American Robin, European Starling, Common Grackle, House Finch and House Sparrow. You want to do something to stop them, but you don’t know where to begin? Let us help you. Firstly, you need to identify the damage, and after you have made your review, you can take the first step to stop them. Study the methods about protecting fruit trees from birds. One of the most effective methods is to use bird netting for tree protection. We would like to present to you every method you can use to protect your crops.

Do Not Invite Them

Do not let bird feeders in the garden, near the fruit trees. Birds are not silly creatures. They do not expect an invitation to eat. Maybe you already had pigeons visiting your crops. Pigeons eat everything they find near the house. However, they are not only ruining your harvest. They also make a lot of mess, and in certain cases, they can transfer serious diseases. If your trees are attractive and your land is full of crops, it may happen that you can have over 100 pigeons at the same time in your yard. Pigeon netting is a good way to save the crops and your house from pigeons. Protecting fruit trees from birds is necessary every year. Since birds prefer seeds and they attack fruits only if there is no other food, planting sunflowers might be a way how to deter birds from trees but it is far from being 100% effective.

Noise and Scare Devices

Many fruit tree growers try to use different devices, like streamers, plastic owls, scare-eyes, aluminum pie tins. Some people use old CDs as visual deterrents. If you tie them, they will glint in the sun and spin all day long. It is recommended to change these devices regularly because birds get used to them. If you use visual methods combined with sound effects the result will be more effective. Although not perfect, this method is widely used for protecting fruit trees from birds. It is a harmless method to keep birds far away from the garden. Visual methods have a great advantage. They cover a large territory. You can also find ultrasonic systems. These are easy to install and work like a charm. However, these systems are very expensive and the price is a huge disadvantage.

Chemical Methods

Almost everything is nowadays available on the market. You can find even chemical sprays. If you apply the spray on fruits, it makes the fruits taste and smell bad for birds. It’s harmless to humans and also to animals. This method is very effective. The bad thing about it is that you need to reapply it quite often. If you have to use it frequently it does not belong to affordable methods. Protecting fruit trees from birds can be possible using a bird feeder. It is not very affordable method either but it is harmless for birds. You just need to make a bird feeder and place it far enough from trees. If you give food to these tiny thieves, they will stop eating your fruits. You can even plant a fruit tree just for the birds. The tree is effective for a while but birds enjoy variety, and if you plant for them an apple tree, they still may attack peach trees. You can also set a sprinkler to spray water. They love to make bath, but the sprinkle scares them. However, it may scare the birds only after they already started eating the fruit, and you are actually wasting water.

Bird Netting

Every year, people who have fruit trees or other crops which are attacked by birds, search for solutions. One of the best solutions is to use bird netting. This netting offers a great help in protecting fruit trees from birds. It keeps away squirrels birds and other animals. You can place the net directly over the fruit tree or bush and tie it together down to make it harder for the birds to get in. You can also make a frame for the netting. For blueberry and other bushes, a frame is highly recommended. Use poultry net and place the frame over the bush. This method’s great advantage is that it is very secure.  If you decide to use a wire combined with the netting, it is even better. Wire keeps the netting away from the fruits. This is not an expensive method and after you have covered the trees, you can relax. You only need to buy the bird netting for tree protection. It can be used year after year if you store it in a dry place over the winter.

Why Use Bird Netting

The advantage of this method is the easy way to spread it near the tree you want to protect. If the trees are big, you will need help from your family or friends. Attach the poles to the corners. Place the net over the tree and cover it. Tie the net to the trunk and you are ready. Apples, plums, cherries look appetizing for you and the birds living around you too. You need to control the situation and take some measures to keep birds away. If you plan to eat next year from your trees, keep in mind that it is easier to prevent than to treat. Protecting fruit trees from birds is the best thing you can do. Install deterrents before fruits ripe, but not too early because birds get used to them.