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Alarm Forest, Saint Helena Sh

Does anyone have any non-chemical (and quiet) mechanisms for stopping wild birds and rabbits from pillaging my fruit crop (tomatoes, beans, etc as well as herbs)? I've thought about physical barriers, but fences and gauze drapes are not exactly easy on the eye!




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Hanging sparkly things like cds around can put off birds - movement and reflection. But rabbits i think will need a physical barrier - unless you have a local zoo who can give you lion poo! that is supposed to work scattered around. We have a dog and three cats which keeps all rabbits away - but we use fleece to repel the birds (pheasants!) For fruit we built a fruitcage which is covered in prawn netting (available cheap from fishermen) this is black and much easier on the eye, also it does not trap birds. Its a perennial problem - balancing natural pest control with having a pretty garden! Get a small dog and train it to chase them all whilst not treading across beds!!

18 Jan, 2011

 

There is a farm on the 414 on the road to Harlow that has allsorts of gizmos in its fields. Things that fly like hawks, twizzle around or look like a realistic scarecrow or a symbolic scarecrow too. Quite a display but the road is a bit bendy there. Perhaps those shops that sell country goods might have some ideas?

18 Jan, 2011

 

I find fencing is the only thing that keeps rabbits out - don't forget you'll need a rabbit-proof gate. I don't have a cat - they can work pretty well keeping rabbits and birds down.

For fruit, cages are the traditional answer, as Hoya says.

18 Jan, 2011

 

depends on how big your garden is you could dig a trench and put chicken wire about a foot deep and support it upright to stop rabbits.i have tried feathers stuck in potatoes hung up on sticks or similar for birds or maybe a decoy falcon.or an owl similar.kind of bird of prey hope this helps.

18 Jan, 2011

 

Rabbit proofing Q's come up quite a lot. If you bend your netting wire at 90 degrees and bury it just under the turf on the outside of your fruit cage this could be just as effective as burying it a foot deep. You will need quite a height of fence as our rabbits (visitors ) were able to jump a four foot wall from a standing start. Putting bird baths/water near the fruit cages will also cut down on the amount of fruit the birds eat. I DK why but it worked for us.

19 Jan, 2011

 

Thanks to all - it all seems a fairly heavy project though. We've about 1/2 acre garden and keeping rabbits out with a 4+ foot fence is out of the question. I'll try the shiny stuff and birdbath for the Mynah birds (local crow variant) , and see if the dog can be trained to be more helpful.

20 Jan, 2011

How do I say thanks?

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