Damon Mcknight
Birds can be a nuisance for gardeners, especially when it comes to ripe tomatoes. While it may not be their favourite food, birds can often be seen taking bites out of juicy, ripe tomatoes. This can be frustrating for gardeners who have put in a lot of effort into growing their tomatoes. In Australia, this issue is commonly faced by gardeners, and there are several ways to prevent birds from eating tomatoes.
How to stop birds eating tomatoes in Australia
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Bird netting | Use bird netting to cover the whole plant, with no gaps, to prevent birds from getting caught up in it. |
| Cages | Build a cage using wood and chicken wire or PVC pipe to protect tomato plants. |
| Water | Put out several shallow bowls of water or a bird bath to provide water for the birds. |
| Decoy | Provide birds with a sacrificial decoy tomato plant that they are allowed to eat. |
| Nylon or mesh | Wrap nylon or mesh around individual fruits to prevent birds from eating them. |
| Red balls | Hang a lightweight, red, plastic ball next to a ripe tomato to distract the birds. |
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What You'll Learn
Using bird netting to protect tomatoes
Bird netting is a great way to protect your tomatoes from hungry birds. Netting is available in a range of sizes and can be cut to suit your plants. In Victoria, Australia, netting used to protect plants must have a mesh size no greater than 5mm x 5mm at full stretch. This regulation aims to ensure that birds do not get caught in the netting.
When using bird netting to protect your tomatoes, it is important to cover the entire plant. Leave no gaps for birds to squeeze through. Secure the netting well, anchoring it to the ground so that birds cannot get under it. If your tomato plant is tall, you may need to use a pole to help pull the netting over.
You can purchase bird netting at most garden centres. Alternatively, you can create your own protective structure using wood and chicken wire. Building a cage around your tomato plants offers near-perfect protection from birds, although it can make accessing and maintaining your plants more difficult.
Remember, it is always best to accommodate nature rather than fight it. Mockingbirds, for example, may be eating your tomatoes simply because they are thirsty. Providing them with a water source, such as a birdbath, could help deter them from your tomato plants.
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Alternative methods when bird netting fails
Bird netting is a common method to protect tomatoes from birds, but it is not always effective. If you have tried bird netting without success, there are several alternative methods you can try to stop birds from eating your tomatoes in Australia. Here are some detailed suggestions:
Provide Alternative Water Sources
Birds may be attracted to your tomato plants because they are thirsty. Try placing a birdbath in your garden or providing several shallow bowls of water. This might help to keep the birds away from your tomatoes. You could even create a separate garden area specifically for the birds, with birdbaths, bird feeders, and plants they can feed on, such as viburnum, serviceberry, and coneflower.
Create a Decoy
Try offering the birds a sacrificial tomato plant that they are allowed to eat while protecting the plants you want to harvest for yourself. Alternatively, hang lightweight, red plastic balls near your ripening tomatoes. The bright red colour may attract the birds more than the tomatoes, giving you time to harvest your tomatoes before the birds realise.
Physical Barriers
Build a physical barrier around your tomato plants by constructing a cage using wood, chicken wire, or PVC pipe. Ensure that the structure is secure and that there are no gaps for birds to squeeze through. You can also use nylon or mesh to wrap around individual fruits, protecting them from being pecked at.
Harvest Early
If all else fails, you can try picking your tomatoes when they are still green and allowing them to ripen indoors. This way, you may be able to enjoy your tomatoes without having to worry about the birds. However, some people report that tomatoes picked when green do not taste the same as those allowed to ripen on the vine.
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Providing water to deter birds
There are a few ways to go about this. Firstly, you could place a birdbath in your garden, which the birds may find more appealing than your tomatoes. It is important to replenish the water daily and keep the birdbath clean. You could also consider creating a small pond or water feature, which may be even more enticing to the birds. This can be as simple as a galvanized horse trough filled with water and perhaps some water lilies and goldfish, which will also help control the mosquito population.
In addition to a birdbath or pond, you can also put out several shallow bowls of water specifically near your tomato plants. This may be enough to satisfy the birds' thirst and deter them from pecking at your tomatoes.
If you want to go a step further, you can create an alternate garden specifically for the birds, with birdbaths, feeders, and plants that they can freely feed upon. This way, you are accommodating nature rather than fighting it, and the birds may leave your tomatoes in peace.
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Building a protective cage
When using bird netting, it is important to ensure that it is anchored down well and covers the whole plant to prevent birds from getting caught or squeezing underneath. In Victoria, Australia, netting used to protect plants must have a mesh size no greater than 5mm x 5mm at full stretch to comply with regulations.
You can also use other materials such as wood and chicken wire to build a protective cage. This will provide a physical barrier that birds cannot penetrate, keeping your tomatoes safe.
Another option is to create a decoy garden with sacrificial tomato plants that birds are allowed to eat, while your main tomato plants are protected within a cage or netting. This way, you can accommodate nature while still enjoying the fruits of your labour.
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Using decoys to distract birds
Decoys are a great way to distract birds from your precious tomato plants. Birds can be easily fooled by decoys, and there are several types you can use.
Firstly, you can use predator decoys, such as fake owls or hawks. Birds are naturally afraid of predators, so placing one of these decoys near your tomato plants will make them less likely to venture over. You can place these on stakes or on the ground, and move them regularly to keep the birds on their toes.
Another option is to use reflective decoys, such as CDs, DVDs, or aluminum pie pans. These will reflect the sunlight and create a moving, sparkling effect that birds find unsettling. They also make a banging noise in the wind, creating another dimension to this decoy method. Reflective tape can be used in a similar way and tied to stakes around the plants.
You can also use decoy plants to distract birds from your real tomato plants. You can buy these at most garden centres, or make your own using smaller tomato plants or similar-looking plants. Place these decoy plants in a different area of your garden to create a diversion.
Finally, you can create an alternative garden for the birds, with their own bird baths, feeders, and plants to feed upon. This may be a more harmonious way to share your space with the birds, and you can protect the tomato plants you want for yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
You can try placing bird netting over your tomato plants, but make sure there are no gaps between the netting and the ground. You can also build a cage out of wood and chicken wire or PVC pipe and cover it with bird netting. Another option is to hang lightweight, red, plastic balls next to your tomatoes—the birds will peck at the balls instead of your tomatoes.
You can try providing an alternative water source for the birds, such as a birdbath or shallow bowls of water. You could also create a separate garden for the birds with bird feeders and plants that they can feed on.
Yes, you can try hanging toy rubber snakes on your plants or covering your tomatoes with paper cups to hide them from birds.
You can create a bird garden with bird baths, bird feeders, and plants that birds can feed on, such as viburnum, serviceberry, and coneflower. You can also provide a sacrificial decoy tomato plant for the birds to eat.
