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This may or may not be helpful, but we had some success hanging old CD's from trees when we planted grass. They really move and shine and kept the birds off the seeds splendidly. I do not know what they would do for a long time - for tomatoes.
I have gardened for over 50 years ( I am 75) and I never saw or heard if birds eating the leaves of plants. Crows will pull up newly sprouted corn. Bugs eat holes in leaves and birds eat the bugs. Some types of birds will peck holes in fresh fruits, including tomatoes, but it is usually not a problem in a vegetable garden. Birds are a problem if you are growing small fruits, like blackberries, cherries, strawberries, and blueberries. There is netting you can get for that problem.
Tomato worms eat both the leaves and the fruit. They will totally strip the leaves from a plant in a very short time. Blister beetles can denude a plant overnight. They are the worst at that, that I have ever seen ! ( They are called 'blister beetles' because they cause blisters on your skin if you get them on you. An entire swarm will come when you least expect them. A google search will bring up all you need to know about them, and about tomato worms, and how beneficial birds are in the vegetable garden.
I have gardened for over 50 years ( I am 75) and I never saw or heard if birds eating the leaves of plants. Crows will pull up newly sprouted corn. Bugs eat holes in leaves and birds eat the bugs. Some types of birds will peck holes in fresh fruits, including tomatoes, but it is usually not a problem in a vegetable garden. Birds are a problem if you are growing small fruits, like blackberries, cherries, strawberries, and blueberries. There is netting you can get for that problem.
Tomato worms eat both the leaves and the fruit. They will totally strip the leaves from a plant in a very short time. Blister beetles can denude a plant overnight. They are the worst at that, that I have ever seen ! ( They are called 'blister beetles' because they cause blisters on your skin if you get them on you. An entire swarm will come when you least expect them. A google search will bring up all you need to know about them, and about tomato worms, and how beneficial birds are in the vegetable garden.
I agree with you totally, but don't want to argue with another person's experience. Again, for the best advice look up cooperative extension for whatever state you are in and ask about things if you are in doubt. They will either help you or research and call you back. At least they do over here.
I have had birds scratch for bugs and cut thru a vine or two like melons, but I also haven't had much of a problem with caterpillars and I think they may help with that. I lost one cantelope plant last year and this year one melon. I'm not ready to kill them just yet, one, sometimes their interesting to watch and two, I'm pretty sure they do eat cut worms and such. The brown thrasher is the culprit in my garden, right now their are two babies and a momma. If more plants get scratched up I'll use 22 shorts but so far they probably do more good than harm.
Birds will sometimes pull out freshly sprouted seedlings but you probably have either a bug or rabbit/groundhog problem.
Yeah. Or slugs or snails.
One day I put a small bowl with a little beer in it, burying it at ground level. The next morning I found an amazing number of slugs dead in the bowl. Ugh!
The birds could be there going after the insects, actually helping out.
I am a reident in a nursing home that has Peacocks roaming the grounds. Recently I planted a row of panseys about 10 ft long. In a few hours I saw a peahen grazing down the row plucking the blossoms. At the end, she turned around and went back cleaning up the follage. The next day she was back digging up the roots!
We need the peacoks for other residents to enjoy but also need a deterrent to prevent them from eating the flowers. $45.00 worth of flowers in just a few hours is cost prohibitive!
Any Suggestions other than a shotgun? Royeastes@aol.com
That must be very frustrating to watch the peacocks eat your flowers, but I must admit I would enjoy feeding the peacocks. Perhaps you could provide them a source of fresh greens, or whatever they like, so they would avoid your flowers next time?
A peashooter would replace nitrogen in the soil, discourage the birds, and increase your lung capacity.
Just joking, but I hear that those birds can be nasty. Why not petition to just get rid of them?
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