Oh, the songs they sing! We all love birds, but at times they may become a problem in the garden. Whether you’re trying to harvest seeds or avoid them from pooping on your harvest, there are a few things you can do to get the birds to find somewhere else to land.
In all actuality though, birds are good to have around. This is because they eat other harmful pests, such as caterpillars, snails, and slugs. Plus, they’re so nice to listen to while you’re out working in the garden.
Birds & Seed Savers
Probably the biggest problem growers run into with birds is that they love seeds. For anyone that enjoys saving seeds for future harvests, this can become quite the problem. Oftentimes, when you go out to collect your seeds, you will be disappointed. The birds beat you to it and ate them all up without even sharing any with you.
Predator Birds & Chickens
If you’re having issues with larger birds trying to swoop down and grab your chickens, it’s strongly recommended to add some protection. Either by building runs or covering the area where your chickens are. Of course, you could plant trees for protection as well, but they’ll take a few years or longer to reach a good size.
Scaring Birds Off (literally!)
To solve your bird problem, there are a few options that are actually quick and easy to put together.
Using a Scarecrow
First, you may test out placing a scarecrow in your garden area. The scarecrow should get the birds to find somewhere else to hang out. These can be made with old clothes, potato sacks, bales of hay and really anything laying around the house. Usually, this is most effective in a smaller gardening space.
Using Netting or Plastic
However, if the scarecrow doesn’t deter them, you can cover your grow area with bird netting. This can usually be draped over the area. The only real issue with it is that you’d likely want to be able to walk underneath it. Depending on your climate’s wind conditions, building something that tall may prove rather difficult.
Of course, you can also choose to build a hoop house over the area using PVC and greenhouse plastic. This will create a space not only protected from the birds but also any other fun weather conditions you may experience. Plus, you can start your growing season earlier with it!
Like we said though, birds aren’t horrible to have around since they eat so many predatory insects that are far more harmful to your crop than a little poop. So, weigh out your options. Personally, we enjoy their songs too much and just use scarecrows around the yard when needed.