Do you know of a natural way to keep birds away from my apple and plums on my young fruit trees?

Answer 1

Bird netting is the answer while your trees are young and small, but just a word of caution--because plum and apple trees are heavy fruiters, it is best to selectively disbud the trees so that they don't overbear and cause damage to the immature branches.

What that means is that you should remove most of the flowers before pollination. This will keep the young trees healthy and they will grow strong enough to support the heavy loads they will have later.

I know how people look forward to having fruit on their trees but you wouldn't expect a 10 year old to have a baby, so please forgo a big harvest in favor of the long term health of your young trees.

Good luck!

Answer 2

First of all netting entagles the birds and could cause injury.
They make plastic owls and some of them are solar powered with moving heads and sounds.
Cheapest way;
Buy life like rubber snakes and put them in the trees like they are slithering up the tree and branches. Birds HATE snakes, use several. I use to do it by my garden pond to keep the birds away until it dawned on me Duh! They just want a drink and a bath not the fish. I overlook the doo on the rocks.

Easy Gardner Garden Defense Electronic Owl Model# 8021
Realistic-looking electronic Great Horned Owl uses 4 motion sensors to detect nearby pests.
GARDENEER Scarecrow Owl With Rotating Head 19in. High
Scares pesky squirrels, rabbits, gophers and birds! Realistic, hand-painted owl replica is 19in.H.
Flying Owl Decoy
Give the appearance of a live owl in your backyard with the NovaBird Dynamic Owl Decoy.
Open the link below for a multitude of owls and prices

http://www.calibex.com/serv/calibex2/buyer/OutPDir.jsp?nxtg=93cd0a24050c-E4FF6510C8F88AF4&search=garden+owl&OVKWID=17324107011&OVADID=4639505511
Rubber snakes
http://www.naturepavilion.com/snakeslizards.htm

Answer 3

Pyrethrum is an effective pesticide - created from the daisy with the equal title, the poison lasts only 12 hours, so spay in the night so as to not kill the bees. Accomplice planting can help - chives, onions and garlic are excellent for most fruit timber. Try planting vegetation on the way to encourage carnivorous bugs as a way to eat you different bugs - for instance: purple clover, alyssum, cosmos, marigolds, Queen Anne's Lace, buckwheat, lucerne, dill, caraway, coriander and gypsophila.

Answer 4

buy a plastic but realistic owl and cat, place them in the tree in plain site. Also, hang fluttery things like tin foil strips on string from branches, when there is a breeze it will scare the birds too.

Answer 5

the garden stores have netting you can put over your trees that will keep the birds out

Answer 6

Fake owls work but you need several different ones and you have to move them frequently or the birds catch on.

Answer 7

im thinking soap...... if u put a bar of soap say in the tree......i kno that soap at least keep deer away from plants. also anything with a strong human scent might be a good idea too.

Answer 8

Perhaps a wire screen or
a similar contraption.

Answer 9

Hang used CDs and DVDs, strips of aluminum foil, or aluminum pie pans.

Answer 10

netting