Home grown fruit and veg tastes so much better than shop bought produce. In the UK there has been an upsurge in people growing their own fruit and vegetables in their gardens or greenhouses as they grow tired of the poor offerings by the major supermarkets. If you have started growing your own food you will know how rewarding it feels to harvest your crop. Not only do you have the satisfaction of eating your own produce, you will reduce your food bill!
Tomatoes have always been the most popular food to grow at home. If like me you have spent a good deal of time tending to your tomato plants this year the last thing that you want is for birds to eat your juicy tomatoes reaping all the benefits of your hard work before you even get a look in!
Here are my top tips on how to prevent birds eating your tomatoes:
- Use lightweight bird netting. Bird netting is great for stopping those pesky birds from getting at your tomato plants. Make sure that you allow the net to fall right to the ground and use a fine netting to stop any tiny beaks getting close to your crop. Netting can be hung over wooden canes or stakes to keep birds away from your tomato plants.
- Anti-bird sound devices. Certain frequencies of noise and sounds of predators or birds in distress can deter birds from your garden. This is a more expensive anti-bird deterrent than the first option but is effective.
- Hang CD’s and other shiney objects that reflect the sun to deter these pests away from your crops.
- Grow your tomato plants in a greenhouse where your plants will be protected from birds at all times. This method is fantastic at producing bumper crops of tomatoes each year as long as you remember to keep each tomato plant well watered. For more information on greenhouses visit my guide to greenhouses.
- Pick your tomatoes 2-3 days before they are ripe and place then inside on a sunny window ledge.
At Jacks Garden Store we offer a fantastic range of grow your own kits which are great gardening gifts for your friends and family. Alternatively you may want to buy a kit for yourself and try growing something different.
