Deal With Birds Attacking Your Cherry Tree

Bird Problems On Cherry TreesIf you are lucky enough to have a cherry tree in your yard, I am sure I don’t need to tell you how much enjoyment can come from them. Just eating the delicious cherries that spawned from your tree is a rewarding experience in itself. Looking out your back window and seeing a magnificent, glorious cherry tree is also rewarding. Most people are impressed just by the fact that you have a cherry tree, because they are usually thought of by non-gardeners as some sort of exotic plant.

But along with the joys that a cherry tree can bring, there are many annoyances. They seem to attract more unwanted creatures than any other plant in the world. Almost every day it seems like there is a new type of pestilence swarming the tree, trying to get a nibble of its delicious fruits. I can’t say I blame them, but if they want to eat delicious fruits then they should grow their own trees.

One of the main and most constant problems that most people deal with is birds eating the fruit off the tree. It can seem almost impossible to get rid of this pest. After all, they can come in from any angle and make a quick getaway with the cherries. Or they can sit undetected in the branches and munch away all day. A bird certainly has its versatility on its side. Those little guys can be a real hassle to catch or repel. However, there are several different ways you can deter the birds from your house.

The most used way of repelling birds is to place a plastic owl within the vicinity of the house. If you find any animal that usually eats birds and purchase a plastic version, usually real birds will be instinctual enough to avoid it. These can include snakes, owls hawks, or scarecrows (OK, maybe they don’t eat birds normally. But they sure scare the birds for some reason). Most of the time you can purchase these at your local gardening store. If you want a different version or a more lifelike representation, if you look online then you’re sure to find something that will work.

If you get a plastic animal of some sort, usually it will cure the bird problem for a while. However, some birds are just really brave (or really stupid) and will continue to eat from your tree. Almost any reflective surface or noisy object will prevent the birds from coming too close. I personally like to use reflective tape designed for scaring birds. You can purchase this at any gardening store. I usually use this in combination with a large assortment of wind chimes for maximum scaring. Once you have a plastic animal along with reflective items and noisy items, almost all birds will be too terrified to even go close.

While airborne creatures might take a little more than their share of fruit, you should still consider leaving one tree exclusively for them. While they might seem like a pest sometimes, birds can be the one thing that livens up your garden. If you’re used to having birds and then all of a sudden you’ve scared them all away, you’ll feel like there is something missing from your yard. Something that, on the inside, you truly loved all along.

Of course, birds don’t just like cherry trees, but they will attack many soft fruits, including raspberries and strawberries and even attack newly planted vegetables such as onions and peas. These can be netted or you can use some sort of bird scarer to keep them off. I have found that hanging audio CD’s around the seedlings will help keep them off, these shine as they turn in the wind and scare the birds off. At the end of the day you may lose some of your crops to birds but if you take precautions then you can minimize your loss.

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Are Plastic Greenhouses Worthwhile?

Plastic Greenhouse Closed imageThis is a hotly debated subject and opinions are strongly divided though for many people the cost of a glass greenhouse is prohibitive or there is nowhere to put one. Plastic greenhouses when used correctly are incredibly valuable to the gardener and even if you do not have the space for a glass greenhouse, one of these is highly recommended, particularly as you can pick them up for under £30, and often cheaper if you buy at the right time of year.

Whilst a plastic walk in greenhouse isn’t massive, it still has enough space to grow a decent amount of plants. In mine, which is only 4 feet wide and about 3 feet deep I have 2 basil plants, 2 cucamelons, 2 peppers, 3 aubergines and 12 tomato plants! If I ditched the tomato plants I could get loads more in and come spring when I am starting off my seedlings I will be able to get a whole lot more in!

The disadvantage of a plastic greenhouse is that they are fragile. A strong wind will tear one to pieces if it isn’t properly supported and weighed down. A couple of years ago I set one up and then a gale blew through and tore it down, scattering my seedlings everywhere! I would recommend placing it in a sheltered position. Mine is against the south facing back wall of the house so it benefits from sun all day plus the heat and protection from the house.

Plastic greenhouse open imageIt needs staking down properly to prevent the wind catching it. Once the current crops are finished the greenhouse will be dismantled, cleaned and stored over winter. As mine is on concrete I have placed growbags over the poles at the bottom to give it some stability, zipped it firmly shut and placed plants in pots on the edges of the greenhouse to stop the wind catching it.

The advantage of a plastic greenhouse is that it allows you to benefit from a greenhouse without having the cost. it is currently the end of September and my tomatoes are still growing vigorously and producing delicious tomatoes even though the outside ones are starting to give up.

The plants need regular watering because they do get very hot and I would recommend going out in the morning to water them so any excess water has the day to burn off and not damage your plants. You also need to ensure there is plenty of air circulation so on warmer days I open up the greenhouse door and let the fresh air in. This helps dry out the dampness that otherwise accumulates in these types of greenhouse.

Slugs and snails pose a problem as they seem to like the warmth and quality food. I check my plants when I water, taking out some of the pots, turning them around and checking on the soil for pests and remove them when I find them. Also check behind your fruits as I found some snails hiding on the back of one of my bell peppers.

Because of the warm and humid conditions in your plastic greenhouse you need to be extra vigilant for fungal problems. Remove the bottom leaves of your tomato plants and ensure there is some room for the air to circulate. Opening the greenhouse a little during the day will also help the air to get in and prevent any possible build up of these problems.

Plants in Plastic Greenhouse picturePlants such as tomatoes and peppers need heat to ripen rather than just sunlight and towards the end of the growing season they often do not get enough heat to fully ripen, resulting in jar after jar of green tomato chutney. Since I put my peppers and tomatoes in to the greenhouse they have ripened, resulting in the first ever crop of red and yellow peppers! The tomatoes are ripening at a rare old rate and I have to make sure I harvest at least once a day to prevent them from over-ripening and splitting.

In my opinion a plastic greenhouse is well worth the investment. I personally would love a glass greenhouse but space, finances and our current circumstances prevent it. One day I will get one and then I know one isn’t going to be enough! Trust me, you buy one of these and you will soon want more … I’m already planning on buying a second or even a third for next year!

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