[Two Sunflowers]

A bit of shutting the gate after the hors bolted, however...


We have 30 odd trees in our orchard from 1-4 years old so pretty small. 5 of them are currently in fruit (apples, peaches and nectarines) we have been meaning to put netting up and were planning to this weekend, however the birds have had a lovely feast this morning, and I am sure they will finish them off today..

So for when the other trees start fruiting - what is the best way to protect them. We are on a budget but have some gift cards from bunnings

So, long story short, what is the best way to protect out trees from birds?

TIA

(Have posted in gardening but posting here too for more traffic)

[JRA]

It is a continual battle

We have always used nets. They are an absolute pain

[Two Sunflowers]

JRA, approx how big are your nets - do they go right to the ground? Do you have tubing going over the tree with nets on top of that or just the nets. Do I just ask for 'bird netting'. Should I get extra big netting for when the trees get bigger (they are young so will let them grow a bit more but not too much - maybe another metre)

Thanks

[silk]

JRA, approx how big are your nets - do they go right to the ground? Do you have tubing going over the tree with nets on top of that or just the nets. Do I just ask for 'bird netting'. Should I get extra big netting for when the trees get bigger (they are young so will let them grow a bit more but not too much - maybe another metre)

Thanks

Always buy netting that reads like it is bigger than you need. With regards a frame for the nets, the orchardists and home gardeners up here use both methods. A frame will, I think, make it easier to hang, but will require a larger net, and more time to build.

Rgds,

mgh

[JRA]

This was at home, not now. They were just bloody big nets. We had not tubing or anything so it was a huge task putting them on and off as the trees were quite large. And they would get damaged over time. Then the fun of when a bird gets stuck in the net.

As a really young child we didn't have them, it was only a bit later we got them, I am not sure whether the birds got worse.

They went right to the ground, otherwise they were a waste of time.

[Leggy]

For fruit that you can reach, you can bag individually (brown paper bags will do for a while but you can get longer-lasting material ones). This is better than netting if you have a fruit fly problem, but netting is probably quicker and easier if flies are not an issue.

I think it's 1cm square netting that you want, because bats and birds don't get tangled in it so easily. Also try to get white nets, because they can see and avoid the threads more easily, and don't use thin nylon/monofilament netting - if animals or birds do get tangled in it, it cuts into their flesh and can leave them with horrible wounds. If an animal gets tangled and you don't want to handle it yourself, call the RSPCA for local wildlife handers who can come rescue it. Please NEVER EVER try to untangle a bat yourself, even if you think it's dead, because they can give you lyssavirus (rabies). Leave those ones to the experts!

If you want to go the frame route, the easiest one I've seen is 4-6 star pickets or reos hammered into the ground around the trees, then sliding one end of some long irrigation pipe over one picket and the other end over a picket on the other side. Repeat till all the pickets are paired up, tie them together where they all cross at the top, then drape your net over it. Pegging the corners down may help. There's a video here http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/video/vide...October2009.htm of a slightly more complex one. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the garden enclosure one.

Good luck with your future harvests!