vineyard bird netting: Protect your Seedlings from Animals and Birds

No matter how much people try to encourage the wildlife to visit and live in their gardens there will always be occasions and/or parts of the garden where we do not welcome them. This being mainly when we are planting young seedlings or a crop of edible plants is getting close to harvest. So we have to strike a balance between encouraging the wildlife as well as being able to discourage them at other times or from certain particular places. There are four ways of protecting your plants or crop from the ravages of birds and animals; these methods include fences, scarers, covers and sprays. Here we will deal with suggestions for the last three of these ideas. Most of these ideas though will only provide a temporary solution, because most times the birds or wildlife, while scared off at first will eventually stop being frightened and will return and ignore or bypass that method in future. So it is an idea to only use each idea for a short time, and then later switch to a different system of control.Scarers usually rely on something to surprise the wildlife's vision or hearing, to frighten them into leaving.Bell Scarers If you have some small cheap bells lying around or you can pick some up cheap, then string them along a length of twine over your plants.Bottle Top Scarers String a series of metal and or plastic bottle tops between stakes driven into the ground at the outside of the area to be protected. Make sure that they can move easily in the slightest breeze or at the gentlest touch. It also helps if some of them can rattle together to add a bit of noise. Tie one off every so often so that it cannot move, this will stop them all migrating to the lowest point of the length of string.Drink Bottle Rattle Scarer Partially fill some drink bottles with a fairly light product like rice or dried peas, put enough in to make it into a rattle. Then tie them along some twine tied over your young plants. If animals tap them or the breeze is blowing they will make a noise, to frighten the small critters away.Drink Can/Bottle Scarers Tie some cans or bottle along some twine so that they can bump together to make a noise if tapped or moved by a breeze, to frighten the small animals or birds.Whirligig Scarers If you have one of those little whirligigs that have a blade that goes around in the breeze, why not set it up near your plants it will scare the birds away as long as the wind is blowing.Hawkscarers Unless you are fairly good at both art and woodcraft and can make one yourself, you will probably have to go out purchase one of the commercially made Hawkscarers and set it up following the directions in the pack, to frighten away the birds.Kites Here you can either go out and purchase a small cheap kids kite or look at making your own kites. To cover your kite, you can use anything from material through to old foil wrapping paper, kitchen foil or even plastic shopping bags. Even kites made to be only a few inches across, can be an effective scarer, if you hang them to blow in the breeze.Ribbon Scarers Rip or cut some scraps of brightly coloured or reflective material into small strips. Tie them to twine over the plants to be protected, leave enough dangling to flap around in the breeze, to scare the birds.Scarecrow Have a go at making a Scarecrow, it may or not be effective at scaring the birds, but it almost be guaranteed to become a piece of landscaping art and a talking point around the neighbourhood.Silver Foil Scarers Aluminium foil or used Foil wrapping paper, which is cut into strips to hang on twine through the area will scare the daylights out of any creature which moves it, or sees it moving in the breeze. Or try wrapping polystyrene or ping-pong balls in the foil, and hang these through the area.Water Hose/Sprinkler Scarer Position a garden hose either up into a strong branch of a fruiting tree. Or tie it to a garden stake in the middle of your young plants. Leave a few feet loose above the top point at which you tie it off. When you notice birds descending on your plants. Turn the hose on as hard as you can. This will result in the end of the hose flapping around rather wildly gushing out a strong stream of water. This is usually enough to frighten anyone let alone the local wildlife. Repeat this a few times and the birds or wildlife will soon not bother coming back.Wind Chimes Scarers Why not try and hang your old wind chimes in the area that you want protected.Wine Cask Bladder Scarer Take the nozzle out and use like a box kite. Or blow them up like balloons.Tinsel Scarers Use some of your old tinsel, or buy some up cheap in the post Christmas sales. Allow plenty of loose material to permit the tinsel to move around in the breezes.Sails/Pennants Material, foil or plastic set up to flap in the breeze like either a sail or pennant, can be an effective scarer.Windsock Scarer Try your hand at making your own miniature version of an Airport's Windsock to frighten the birds and animalsClothesline/Airer Scarer If you have the type of family that has clothes drying on a clothes line most days, then place your young plants in pots around the base of the clothes line or set up a movable clothes airer near your delicate plants filling the lines with clothes and linen which will flap around a bit will also be an effective bird and small animal scarer.Plastic Snakes If you have an old plastic snake at the bottom of the old toy box, why not try putting it in amongst your plants. While I have never tried this method myself, I have heard of others who swear by this scarer. Move it around every so often.Toy Animal Scarers What about the idea of strategically placing a realistic looking toy dog or cat near your young plants. The theory being that the birds or small animals will already have had experience with real cats and dogs so will avoid any area with them. (This is theoretical suggestion, which I haven't seen tried but is based on the supposed success of the plastic snakes). So if anyone has the opportunity to try this one, let me know the results, please.Protective CoversWhereas putting a cover over or around the plants physically stops the animals from reaching the plants.Glass/ Hard Plastic Covers If you have a pane of glass or an old window that is not being used put it over your young plants, lift it above the plants using whatever is available to you, eg bricks etc. Milk/Yoghurt Container Covers Cut the top and bottom out of cardboard or plastic containers and slip these over young plants to stop birds and other animals from digging them out till they are established. It helps to bury the bottom of the container slightly. This idea works just as well with any round or square material that will go round your young plants, from drink bottles to small sections of plastic plumbers pipe. But always cut them down one side to make removal easier once the plants have grown a bit.Plastic/Shadecloth/Bird netting Covers Make a framework of stakes around the plants that you want to protect, and place over this a shadecloth/plastic or bird netting cover. Shadecloth or plastic can be purchased by the foot/metre from nurseries or hardware stores. Or you can even just throw the shadecloth or bird netting directly over the plants/shrubs or small trees, if the plant is strong enough to support the weight of the material.Stick and String Covers Whether you are trying to protect a pot of seedlings or a bigger area out in the garden. Make up a framework of sticks or garden stakes around the seedlings, and then tie them loosely together by weaving some string, cotton, wool or twine between the sticks/stakes.Wire Mesh Frame Covers Wire Netting Covers Support some of that light flexible fencing wire, mosquito mesh or even plastic mesh over your seedlings of fruiting plants, and support it with garden stakes to keep the birds away from your plants.Hard Wire Frame Covers Try supporting some hard wire mesh over your young plants to protect them from the ravages of birds or animals. You can use things like light concreting mesh or fencing panels, or whatever else you can access around the place. Support them up off the ground with garden stakes, bricks or even soft drink bottles filled with water.SpraysThe reason for applying a spray is to make the animals think that the targeted plant or fruit is not as tasty as they at first believed it should be. But it usually takes a bit of experimentation to find what will work with particular pests. As each have their own likes and dislikes even within the one species. But try mixing hot or unpleasant but safe ingredients together to make a spray diluted with water to spray over your seedlings or fruiting plants. Try to avoid spraying fruit that you will eat, or rinse such produce well before consuming.Some ingredients you might try include,Tabasco sauceGarlicOnionsChilliesEtc.The above list of ideas should be enough to provide you with at least a few alternatives that you can try to combat those ravenous critters that are bombarding your young charges. [EXTRACT] No matter how many people trying to encourage wildlife to visit and live in their gardens, there are always opportunities and / or parts of the garden where they are not welcome. This is especially when we're planting seedlings or food crops are approaching harvest. So we have to find a balance between encouraging wildlife as well as being able to deter other times or certain places in particular. There are four ways to protect your plants or crops from the ravages of birds and animals, these methods include fences, scarecrows, covers and sprays. Here we look into suggestions for the last three of these ideas. Most of these ideas, if only a temporary solution, because most times the birds and wildlife, while scared at first, eventually stop being frightened and come back and ignore or overlook the fact that the method in the future. Therefore, it is an idea to use only every idea for a short period of time, and then switch to a different system of control.Scarers usually based on something to surprise the wildlife viewing or hearing, to frighten in scarecrow leaving.Bell If you have any cheap small bells around or you can pick some up cheap, and then string along a length of rope over his chain plants.Bottle scarecrow Starting a range of metals and bottle caps from plastic or stakes driven into the ground outside the area to be protected. Make sure they can move easily in the slightest breeze or gentle touch. It also helps if some of them can recite together to add a little noise. A draw out from time to time so that you can not move, this will not all migrate to the bottom of the length of string.Drink Bottle Rattle Scarer partially fill some bottles of drinks with a very light product as rice and peas, bring enough to make a rattle. Then tie them along some twine tied over the young plants. If they touch the animals or the wind is blowing will make a noise to frighten the small critters can away.Drink scarecrow / Bottle Tie some cans or bottles along a bit of twine so that they can collide to produce sound if tapped or moved by a breeze, to frighten small animals or birds scarecrow. Whirligig If you have one of the turnstiles little they have a leaf moves in the wind, why not set up near your plants will scare the birds, as long as the wind is blowing.Hawkscarers Unless is quite good at art and craft of wood and can be done yourself, you probably have to go out and buy one of the commercial manufacturing Hawkscarers and set as directed on the package, to ward off birds.Kites Here You can go out and buy a small cheap kids kite or look to make their own kites. To cover the kite, you can use any of the material through old paper foil, aluminum foil or shopping bags, even plastic. Even kites made to be only a few centimeters in diameter, can be an effective scarer, if hung to blow in the breeze Scarecrow. Ribbon tear or cut some pieces of brightly colored material into small strips or reflective. Link to the threads on plants to protect, leaving enough hanging to beat in the breeze, to frighten the birds.Scarecrow Have a go at making a scarecrow, which may or may not be effective in scaring birds, but almost guaranteed to become a work of art landscaping and a topic of conversation around the foil or paper plate scarecrow neighbourhood.Silver used an aluminum casing, which is cut into strips for hanging on ropes across the area away from any creature moving, or see him moving in the breeze. Or try wrapping polystyrene balls or ping-pong in the foil, and hang these through the area. Water Hose / Sprinkler Scarer Place a garden hose up on a strong branch of a fruit tree. Or tie it to a game of garden in the center of the young plants. Let loose a few feet above the highest point to which it binds. When you notice birds descending on your plants. In turn the hose on as hard as you can. This will result in the end of the hose flapping around in the wilderness that comes a strong stream of water. This is usually enough to scare anyone, much less the local flora and fauna. Repeat this a few times, and the birds or wild animals do not bother coming soon back.Wind Chimes scarecrow Why not try to hang your old wind chimes in the area to protected.Wine Bladder Scarer Take the mouthpiece and barrel used as a box kite. Or blow them up as a scarecrow balloons.Tinsel use some of your old tinsel, or buy at a good price in the sales after Christmas. Allow plenty of loose material to allow the glitter that move in the breeze. Sails / Pennants material, aluminum foil or plastic lapel created in the breeze like a sail or by the title, can be an effective scarer.Windsock Scarer Try your hand at making your own miniature version of a windsock airport to scare birds and animalsClothesline / airer Scarer If you have the kind of family that has been drying clothes on a clothesline most days, then place the young plants in pots around the base line clothing or the creation of a mobile clothesline near delicate plants filling their lines of clothing and clothing that cover a whole will also be an effective little birds and small animals snakes scarer.Plastic If you have a plastic snake old at the bottom of the box of old toys, why not try to put in between your plants. Although I have never tried this method myself, I have heard of others who swear by this scarer. They move around at all the scarecrows Animal often.Toy What about the idea of ​​strategically placing a realistic looking dog or cat toys close to their young plants. The theory that birds and small animals have already had experience with real cats and dogs, and will avoid any area with them. (This is the theoretical proposal that I have not been treated, but is based on the supposed success of plastic snakes). So if anyone has the opportunity to try this, let me know the results, CoversWhereas please.Protective put a cover on and around the physical plant stops the animal arrives at the plastic plants. Glass / Hard Covers If you have a glass panel or window of age who is not in use put it on your young plants from rising above the plants with all that is available to you, for example, bricks, etc. milk / yogurt containers Covers Cut the top and bottom of cardboard or plastic and slip these young plants to keep birds and other animals from digging it out until they are established. Help to bury the bottom of the pan a little. This idea works equally well with any round or square material to go around to their young plants from beverage bottles to small sections of plastic plumbing pipe. But always cut from one side to make it easier to remove once the plants have grown a bit Covers. Plastic / awning / red bird game Make a frame around the plants to protect, and place a canopy over this / plastic or bird nets coverage. Awning or plastic can be purchased through the feet / meters from nurseries or hardware stores. Or even just launched the Network tent or bird directly on plants / shrubs or small trees, if the plant is strong enough to withstand the weight of the ropes and covered material.Stick If you are trying to protect a cup of seedlings or a larger area in the garden. Form a framework of sticks or garden stakes around the seedlings, and then tie them together by free tissue from a piece of string, cotton, wool or string between the sticks / stakes. Mesh wire frame mesh covers to support some of the cable light flexible fencing, mesh mosquito mesh or even plastic on the seedlings of fruit plants, and garden stakes support to keep birds out of wire frame plants.Hard Covers Try supporting some hard wire mesh in young plants to protect them from the ravages of birds or animals. You can use things like light concreting mesh or fencing panels, or anything that can be accessed all over the place. Support off the ground with garden stakes, bricks or bottles of soft drinks, even full of water.SpraysThe reason for the application of a spray is to make the animals think that the target plant or fruit is not as tasty as the first he thought it should. But it usually takes a little experimentation to find what will work with certain pests. As everyone has their own likes and dislikes, even within the same species. However, try mixing hot or unpleasant ingredients, but together to make sure the spray mixture with water to spray your seedlings or fruit plants. Try to avoid spraying of fruit they eat, or rinse well before producing such ingredients consuming.Some you can try to include sauceGarlicOnionsChilliesEtc.The Tabasco over the list of ideas should be enough for at least some alternatives you can try to combat the voracious creatures are bombarding their young charges.