Protect Strawberry Plants with Anti Bird Netting

Last year, the strawberry plants in my garden were for the birds.  Literally!  For every three strawberries that grew, two were eaten by the birds.  I'd patiently wait for a strawberry to be perfectly sun-ripened -- only to discover that a bird was watching for that same perfection and got to it quicker than I could.  My kids were so disappointed when their "favorite" strawberries disappeared without them getting even a taste!

I needed a solution fast!  It was hubby to the rescue!  (I'm going to show your our solution from last year--which worked--but be sure to check back next week for the even better solution we are using this year.)

Anti-Bird Netting

Did you know there is actually a product on the market just for protecting fruit on the trees and in the garden?  It's called anti-bird netting.  The type we purchased is called Bird Block and can be found at most home improvement stores.

Here's what you'll need:

• Anti-bird netting (Like Bird Block)
• Wooden Stakes
• Metal gardening stakes (u-shaped)  Here's what they look like.

Here's how to do it!

1. Pound the stakes around the strawberry plants and throughout the middle of the strawberry patch.  You want them several inches away from the outside edge of the plants so that the netting does not touch the strawberries.  (If it's too close to the plants, the birds will peck the berries right through the netting.)
2. Cut a piece of netting large enough to cover the entire area, and drape it across the top.
3. Secure the netting to the ground with u-shaped metal gardening/landscaping stakes.

All done!  Your strawberries are now safe, and you can enjoy bird-free strawberries the rest of the season!

(The black tubes are not gardening stakes.  Those are my irrigation lines.  Just didn't want you to be confused!)

Now, if you read my entire post, you might be wondering why I chose a different solution for this year.  The truth is, while this system works great, removing the netting to harvest the strawberries is kind of a pain!  The metal stakes get caked with dirt and snag on the netting when you try to remove them.  This is a relatively inexpensive solution, so if you don't mind the slight hassle at picking time, go with this solution!

If you have a little bit more money and time to spend, check back next week for how I'm protecting my strawberries this year!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you'll stick around and browse.  (Images below are linked.)

You'll find all of my gardening posts here:  Gardening Tips and Tricks

Have a great day!