Though my husband and I have always had fairly good success growing tomatoes, our crop last year was a total bust. The problem? Birds. As soon as ANY tomato turned even remotely pink, the birds would peck at them. I could never seem to get to my tomatoes before the birds, and picking them green seems to defeat the point.
How can I keep those pesky birds away from my tomatoes?
I think the reason they were pecking the tomatoes is because there may have been a lack of water around for them. Was it a dry season?You may try a bird bath where they can drink in another part of your yard. You can use bird netting draped atop of the tomato stakes - you can lift it to go under to pick your tomatoes and as long as the netting isn't laying on a tomato, they won't be able to get to them. They don't like netting and won't go anywhere near it, it messes up their footing.
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts
Posted - Apr 19 2007 : 3:25:21 PM
Sarah-
I second the idea of a bird bath, and if you can't find any netting- you could always build cages of Chicken wire. Hopefully that would keep the birds off! I have even see motion detector sprinkler systems to keep animals away from gardens as well.
Need tomato help!
Posted - Apr 19 2007 : 11:33:10 AM
