To preserve the harvest of cherries, we learn to protect them from birds
The cherry berries ripening in the garden are eagerly watched not only by people, but also by feathered gourmets. How to protect cherries from birds, to protect the harvest and health of trees in personal plots? These questions concern many summer residents and owners of rural households..
Cultural planting of fruit and berry plants for many, especially flocking birds in the warm season, become a favorite feeder. However, bird visits are not always a joy to the summer resident. It is great when the flock helps to cope with insect pests. And a completely different matter – birds striving to profit from garden strawberries, irga, honeysuckle and, of course, cherries.
Feathered enemies of cherries: who are they and why are they dangerous?
Most often, sparrows and tits, waxwings and jays “graze” on fruit trees and bushes. Cherries that ripen earlier than other stone fruits are very attractive for starlings..
What is the harm caused by birds, and how to protect cherries from birds, whether they are starlings or their other winged relatives? In addition to the fact that the flock practically clears the branches of ripe berries in a matter of hours, birds:
- break the young growth and bouquet news, on which the harvest of the next year should appear;
- leave damaged fruits that attract insects and pathogenic fungi.
The larger the birds and the more numerous the flock, the more noticeable the damage. But birds are not a natural disaster! Even with little expense or even home remedies, you can provide excellent protection of cherries from birds..
Crop conservation measures fall into two categories. Some methods protect the whole tree and prevent birds from getting close to the cherished berries. Other activities are designed to scare off winged gourmands.
How to scare birds away from cherries?
Birds in a flock behave much more daringly than single birds. And yet, not a single bravest starling can start a meal if distracted by annoying sounds, bright lights, or the uninterrupted flickering of shiny objects..
It is these techniques that are used in order to scare away starlings from cherries, both with single plantings of fruit trees, and in large gardens. The simplest and most affordable options are:
- rustling or rustling objects hung in the crown, for example, household bags, rags of packaging mica or film;
- loosely fixed, movable objects made of reflective, shiny, bright materials, for example, fragments of New Year’s tinsel, unnecessary computer disks, bulky clumps of food foil hanging between branches;
- homemade turntables and rattles, made on the principle of children’s toys, but have a persistent frightening effect on birds.
These methods are good because they help both to save cherries from starlings and to refuse additional expenses on expensive devices and fixtures.
However, experienced gardeners know that birds eventually adapt to the most ingenious methods of scaring away, therefore, for greater effect, it is better to combine several techniques and from time to time change the location of scary birds..
How to protect cherries from starlings with shelters?
Another common method of protection is a shelter for the crown, which would not interfere with the penetration of the sun, air and moisture inside, but at the same time did not allow the birds to sit on branches with juicy berries..
How to protect cherries from birds with this method? Until recently, such an event was hardly feasible, but today trading offers a lot of interesting and fairly affordable options:
- Non-woven material of low density, for example, used to cover growing crops, does not disturb the respiration of plants, completely transmits rain and irrigation moisture and sunlight. A light canvas will not damage the branches, but it will turn into a reliable protection against birds for cherries with a small compact crown.
- On larger trees, it is convenient to use special coarse plastic nets. The crown under such a cover is not damaged, and the birds, even sitting on a tree, cannot penetrate deeper along the branches to where the sweetest berries hang. In addition, the green mesh is almost invisible from the side and does not spoil the view of the garden..
Other ways to protect cherries from birds
Summer residents who do not trust homemade products more, but rather innovative methods of plant protection, can purchase ultrasonic electronic devices for scaring away birds..
Devices placed in the garden emit vibrations inaudible by humans, which birds perceive as unequivocal alarm signals. This allows you to scare birds away from cherries, both in small summer cottages and in mass plantings. The range depends on the power and other technical characteristics of the device..
In some cases, gardeners use odorous herbal decoctions based on garlic, hot pepper, citrus peel and other crops with a sharp taste and aroma for birds. The method cannot be called reliable, since the first rain washes away the protection, and in dry weather natural essential oils quickly dissipate.
A detailed video on how to protect cherries from birds will acquaint the gardener with all the available possibilities. The accessible material will help you choose the most effective and at the same time available method. And the berry preserved from feathered gourmets will certainly delight the summer resident and his family members.
