Seeing birds flying around in your backyard is quite enjoyable especially when you listen to their different chirpings throughout the day but as much as you would like to keep them forever, they may become pests in the garden too.
Farmers and even gardeners know that birds can destroy crops especially those that smell fragrant to them. There are some birds that are attracted to specific flowers, fruits, and vegetables that they will pick at your plants and damaging them. If you are one of those who are having trouble containing the birds in your yard, here are a few tips to help you out.
- Aluminum screening. One way to protect your seedlings from pesky birds is to surround them with aluminium screening. Simply create a u-shape screen out of this material and place it above the seedlings for protection. You can secure the screen in place by heavy wire around it and into the soil or pack the bottom with dirt to make it immovable.
- Paper bags. If you are growing some sweet corn in your yard or garden for personal consumption, you can place paper bags over the ears once they have completely shed their pollen. This will help deter the birds from snacking on your plant so you can harvest them later.
- Sacrifice a plant. If you are not really keen on making the birds leave your land because you love them, assign a sacrificial plant to them. This way, the birds will concentrate their efforts on the unprotected plants while leaving the rest alone.
- Plastic netting. Another trick to keep the birds away from your plants or crops is to cover them with plastic netting. You can create a dome out of this material along with sturdy sticks so that there won’t be any space for the birds to get inside.
- Create a scarecrow. If crows are prevalent in your area, a good way to deter them from your yard is to build a scarecrow. All you will need are some old clothes and sticks to create your scarecrow and plant it in the middle of your yard. The crows won’t be too eager to nip at your plants believing that there is a human watching over the garden.
- Hang CDs. You can always distract the birds from your yard if they’re starting to become a nuisance. One way to do this is to hang CDs from a tree or post near your garden because the light reflecting off them can distract them when they attempt to dine on your seedlings. Move the CDs from time to time to catch the birds unaware.
- Leave some rope. Or garden hose if you like as this will trick the birds into believing that there is a snake in your yard. Birds are not overly fond of this predator as they can be hunted unknowingly. Don’t forget where you have placed the rope or hose or you might scare yourself when working in your yard.
- Stakes and flags. Another trick to keep the birds from ruining your garden is to install stakes and flags every 15 feet to prevent the birds from settling down in your growing plants.
These are just a few tips and tricks that you can try in your garden if the birds are becoming more of a pest than friends. You can test each one of these to see which one will work best for you. Keep a close eye on the kinds of birds that you have so you will know what attracts them in your yard.
