From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Bay Area

from eating all my seedlings? I have this problem last year and again now. Is there a cheap, low-tech method of getting rid of them?

5/4/2006 2:59:49 AM

Ohio

Id put some chicken wire in a small circle around the plant, this should keep em out.

Brooks

5/4/2006 5:14:56 AM

Waquoit Mass

crows ?

5/4/2006 8:24:53 AM

cats !

5/4/2006 9:20:52 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

provide them with something else to eat...

5/4/2006 9:33:08 AM

Mocksville, NC

Put one of those fake owls near the plants

5/4/2006 11:09:02 AM

[email protected]

BB Gun is more fun & the organic fertilizer (blood, bone, meat & feather meals are good for the soil) wouold help the pumpkins but the chicken wire sounds easier & more cost effective.

5/4/2006 1:15:27 PM

Bay Area

LOL. May be I should put pepper on the seedlings!

5/4/2006 4:30:22 PM

Grants Pass, Oregon

Steve your control method sounds good lol.

5/4/2006 4:46:08 PM

Cincinnati,OH

Hot pepper will have no effect on birds. It will work on mammals though if it is really hot stuff

5/4/2006 7:00:06 PM

San Jose [email protected]

get some old CD's and hang them, the flashing when it turns scares them

5/4/2006 8:58:10 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

birds wiped out my second batch today

5/4/2006 11:44:49 PM

Chico, Ca

infrared activated sprinklers, senses movement,fires for 3 seconds, resets after 8 seconds, hooks up to a garden hose and uses a 9 volt battery. variable sensitivity. cost $60.

5/5/2006 12:47:43 AM

Bay Area

Ron, I was just kidding about the pepper but why wouldn't it have any effect? Is it because birds can't taste stuff?

5/5/2006 3:56:47 AM

ENGLAND

We use CD's all over the veg Patch and, as gary said, the flashing reflected light of them seems to scare them away. We use the CD's that one can get from stores with Internet Service Service Provider promotions and grab a hand full of those ISP Programme CD's. Drill a small hole about a quarter inch from the edge of the CD and hang them on strings across the Patch. Actually watching the reflections from those CD's dancing about towards sunset is quite relaxing too when out in the garden.

5/5/2006 7:17:27 AM

[email protected]

That is correct....Birds cannot taste the various hot sauces. Hot Pepper does burn the butt of a Goose however.

Flight Control uses anthraquinone (naturally ocuring) to repel some birds but not worth the expense when so many other cost effective solutions would work better.

5/5/2006 7:20:35 AM

Applegate, Oregon

The CD's work for fairly well for me as well.

5/5/2006 11:33:43 AM

Kiel WI

Hot pepper is added to birdseed to keep squirrels from eating it. The birds don't notice.

5/5/2006 12:48:35 PM

ordinary,VA

What i use to keep birds out of my strawberries.
I use cicada netting.
28'x30' covers a lot of ground.
the cicada mesh 5/32 x5/32 keeps out birds and some flying pest.
I use 3ft tomato cages spaced in the garden so it will keep the mesh of the plants.
than cover the edges of the mesh that touch the ground with soil so the mesh doesnt blow away with the wind.
I bought cicada mesh at Lowes last im sure they still carry the product.
going to try the mesh on the pumpkins this year see if it helps keep out svb squash etc,etc.

5/5/2006 4:53:12 PM

Deer Park WA

Once the plants are bigger we put mouse traps in the gullets of a few leaves, ends the BS really quick....

5/6/2006 12:13:57 AM