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Garden Gate:  NEED ADVICE  |
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sewbug
True Blue Farmgirl
61 Posts
kim
Charlton
ma
USA
61 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 05 2008 : 12:20:27 PM
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Hi. Hubby and I are wondering just what exactly some people put over their blueberry bushes to protect from hungry critters. It looks like a gauze, or cheesecloth or something. The only thing we found was netting , but the holes were big enough for the birds to eat them. we have 16 blueberry bushes and want to protect them this year. any thoughts or names of places to buy this stuff.?? thanks, kim 
farmgirl sister #105 |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2008 : 12:29:17 PM
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I use 1/2" square netting available at most garden centers and Walmart draped over a "frame" made of 2x2's. It is the only thing that I have found that works, and I use the same type of thing over my raspberries. For strawberries, I use pvc pipe formed into arches with the netting draped over. I've found it's the only thing that will keep the robins and the deer off. If you need a few pieces of netting, the cheapest way is to buy one big one and cut it into the size you need.
Di
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Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl
9094 Posts
Nancy
West Seneca
New York
USA
9094 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2008 : 12:29:18 PM
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Kim,
Go on Google and type in 'PROTECTING BLUEBERRY BUSHES' LOTS OF HELP THERE.
NANCY JO
www.Nancy-Jo.blogspot.com |
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cathy cobblestone
True Blue Farmgirl
194 Posts
cathy
greensburg
ky
USA
194 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2008 : 1:08:23 PM
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At Cobblestone we use a lot of "tobacco canvas" or at least that is what we call it. You can purchase it at your local home and garden center or probably more readily available at feed and farmers supply stores. It comes pre-packaged and is great for a variety of different uses. We have even used it to decorate for weddings instead of tulle, believe it or not. It is light weight and lets moisture and sunlight penetrate easily however, it has no holes, so no lil' critters. I absolutely agree with Daisy Farm - a frame would be the ideal prevention. Hope this helps! Have a great weekend and best wishes with your blueberries. Cathy
www.cobblestonefarms.blogspot.com
www.cobblestonefarmsgiftshop.com
Today is a gift, live it! |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2008 : 1:22:56 PM
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Cathy what is tobacco canvas? Is that like a white remay cloth? I'm thinking it might be good for rustfly on carrots maybe??
Di |
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cathy cobblestone
True Blue Farmgirl
194 Posts
cathy
greensburg
ky
USA
194 Posts |
Posted - Apr 05 2008 : 3:12:27 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by DaisyFarm
Cathy what is tobacco canvas? Is that like a white remay cloth? I'm thinking it might be good for rustfly on carrots maybe??
Di
I'm sorry, I do not know what "remay" is. I asked Shaun, hubby, and he said it is actually called "plant bed canvas". Good Luck finding it, I think it might help you. Cathy
Today is a gift, live it! |
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sewbug
True Blue Farmgirl
61 Posts
kim
Charlton
ma
USA
61 Posts |
Posted - Apr 06 2008 : 1:59:59 PM
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Anyone ever use cheescloth. I can't find plant bed canvas any where online.??
farmgirl sister #105 |
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - Apr 07 2008 : 03:41:50 AM
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Kim, I don't have blueberries, but for my strawberries, I have hog wire bent over the bed with that black nylon netting just high enough to keep the netting above the plants. The hog wire has large holes big enough for your handful of berries to pass through, so you don't have to move it. But it's sturdy enough to hold the netting nice and even and makes it easy to pull the netting off and on. You can get hog wire at farm supply centers.
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
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Sagewood
True Blue Farmgirl
106 Posts
South Carolina
106 Posts |
Posted - Apr 07 2008 : 03:53:47 AM
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Hi Sewbug,
Ya know, we don't put anything over our blueberry bushes and I have very few problems with birds. What we do use is a few 'stakes' of rebar, with pie pans tied at the top. The pans catch the wind, bang against the rebar make enough noise, as well as the pie pans are a bit shiny and constantly moving..keeps the birds at bay.
'Course.I only have 5 bushes.
Anyway, the rebar (and I guess you could use any metal 'stake') is about 5', stuck in the ground about 2', so they are about 3' high and I use a simple string tied to the top, then tied to the pie pan (punch a hole in the pie pan..and I use the tough aluminum ones you get at the store). The string is about..oohhh maybe 1 1/2' long..anway, it all works where the banging and the silver movement is about 1/2 way up the blueberry bushes. It only takes me one of these little creations for the 5 bushes I have. It's a much less expensive alternative to try at least. GOOD LUCK! And with all those bushes, you're going to have TONS and I do mean TONS of blueberries!
Hope this helps!
Sage
Hiding in the broom closet (my craft room!)
http://sagewoodfarm.blogspot.com/ |
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Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Apr 07 2008 : 08:41:35 AM
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| I go to the fabric store every three years or so and get some white tulle (netting) -- the real fine kind, like you might use for a bridal veil. It lasts a good long time if you treat it right, comes real wide and it's incredibly cheap, lets the sun in, and won't tangle to feet of any birds that happen to land on it the way regular bird netting can do. I like Lisa's idea of black netting. I'm gonna give some thought to that. It's less obvious, but I wonder if it would trap in too much heat. |
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sewbug
True Blue Farmgirl
61 Posts
kim
Charlton
ma
USA
61 Posts |
Posted - Apr 07 2008 : 6:04:00 PM
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Thanks all. I think I might try white or even black tuelle.
farmgirl sister #105 |
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