How to Keep Birds From Eating Blueberries

You need to use a combination of various methods to prevent birds from eating your blueberries.

Blueberries are one of the easiest fruits to grow, provided you find a way to protect them from the birds. Creating a noise, using predator figurines and, using bird netting are some of the conventional methods that have been used to keep birds away. Newer methods include the spraying of chemicals that produce a distasteful flavor when birds taste the fruit. Birds are quite resourceful when it comes to having their share of the blueberries so you will need to use an ingenuous combination of methods to prevent birds feasting on your fruit.

Things You'll Need

• Bird netting
• Flexible or galvanized wires
• Fence post staples
• Bricks
• Firewood

Instructions

1. Use bird control netting. Bird nets consist of lightweight, netted material that can be wrapped around plants. Place bird nets directly onto individual plants. Use multistrand netting for better results -- although expensive, it is more resistant to breakage and lasts longer as compared to single-strand netting.

2. Create a netting framework over the blueberry plot. Purchase posts that are 9 to10 feet long and set them into the ground at a depth of 2 1/2 feet. Decide the number of posts depending on the size of the patch you wish to cover, considering that you will have to place posts at gaps of 15 to 18 feet. Tie flexible or galvanized wire from post to post, and across the center. To allow for easy movement of wires, place the wire on the posts and use fence post staples to secure the wire. Hang a piece of wire from each of the four corner posts and tie a brick to the end of each wire. Keep the length of the wire such that the brick hangs about one foot above the ground -- this is to make sure that there is no sagging of the wires. Place bird control netting by gathering it up and spreading over the wires. Make sure the net drops down to the ground on all sides and place bricks or firewood to secure the netting to the ground.

3. Fix predator figures. Purchase life-like figurines of natural predators like snakes and owls and fix them up at a few locations in the garden. Move these occasionally to give a realistic appearance.

4. Use chemical deterrents. Use bird repellent products that contain methyl anthranilate. This is commonly available at most grocery stores as grape-flavored Kool-Aid. Add four packets of this into a gallon of water and spray this on to the blueberry plants when the fruit starts gaining color. Repeat applications when you find the bird repellent effect is waning.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid using bird control netting over tender blueberry plants -- it can damage the plants.

• Use chemical deterrents in combination with other methods when bird pressure is high.

• Using devices like loudspeakers is not effective for long because birds easily get accustomed to the noise.

References

• The Gardeners Network: Bird Control Methods, Bird Netting
• The Gardeners Network: How to Grow Blueberries
• University of Massachusetts: Protecting Blueberries and Other Fruit from Birds