How To

How to Prevent Birds From Eating Young Plants

Member
By Karen Bridgers
User-Submitted Article
(3 Ratings)

Hungry birds are real little devils when you are trying to cultivate certain types of seeds. The taste of the newly emerging seedling is irresistible. When a seed germinates, it converts the starch stored in the seed to sugar. Here are several ways you can protect your new seedlings until they become established.

Difficulty: Challenging
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  1. Step 1

    Plant seeds in peat pots indoors instead of directly into the soil. Once the plants have two sets of leaves, plant them outdoors.

  2. Step 2

    Cover seed beds with floating row covers. Floating row covers allow light, water and oxygen to penetrate, but act as a barrier for insects and birds. They do need some sort of frame to keep the cover up, off of the soil.

  3. Step 3

    Use flash tape to scare birds away from the seed bed. Flash tape is a mylar tape that flutters in the slightest breeze. Some birds find it terrifying, but some don't mind it at all.

  4. Step 4

    Hang old CDs in the garden. The flashing disks rotate in the wind and may frighting away some more timid birds.

  5. Step 5

    Cover the entire seed bed with bird netting. You may have to release birds from under the net each morning.

  6. Step 6

    Set the sprinkler system to go off at 15 minute intervals. A sudden burst of water will sometimes scare the birds off.

  7. Step 7

    Plant individual seeds inside milk carton collars. The milk cartons work like a miniature greenhouse and also act as a physical barrier to prevent birds from reaching the seedlings.

Tips & Warnings
  • Once the plant has emerged from the soil and has developed a second set of leaves, the sugar converts back to starch, and the birds are no longer interested.
  • Whichever method, or combination of methods you choose, be diligent. Birds are relentless in their quest for your new plants.
  • Songbirds are protected in all parts of the United States. Do not harm them in any way.

Comments  

lordkhomar said

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on 12/3/2008 Ooh, some good tips here, thank you!

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