A good idea

[Clarea1]

I have discovered that a sheet of chicken wire folded over into an a tunnel shape makes a great device. It keeps the birds of (mesh size dependent) but also can lay polythene or fleece over it to make a cheap cloche. Not quite the full mcoy but no bad for next to nothing!

[Nicos]

bird deterrants

well thought up! It's so hard to keep birds off crops-most people use netting. Over the years we have helped to untangle so many birds caught up in netting which they have managed to get caught around their legs . What do other people use? We use netting and cds on strings. Did think of using that silver tape you buy at Xmas which glitters++ in the light. One neighbour used music tapes unravelled as they make quite a noise in the wind, but it drove us mad,and was difficult to work around.

[andrewo]

CDs

I use all those useless web sign up cds that seem to end up on my doormat, they glitter nicely and I also use bottles on top of canes.

Andrewo

[JennieAtkinson]

I use CDs that come through the post, but find they get really tangled up in the wind. The starlings got so used to them last year that I often saw one sitting on the top of the tangled mess! I also tried the tape, but it was very noisy and I am still finding bits in the garden.

What has worked in the polytunnel when the doors are open are two African style wind chimes made from largish pieces of bamboo. They sound and look very pleasant, allow the bees in but keep the birds out. (I hang them in the doorways, however, I have no neighbours, other than sheep, to complain about the noise - might not be appropriate on a busy allotment!)

I have just bought some build a balls so hoping my netting on the strawberries might stay put this year. Anyone tried these yet?

[fruit&vegvirgin]

I've just bought some shiny spiral plastic things - sold as 'garden ornaments' but they spin like mad and sparkle away, so I am hoping they will help.
re the CDs, what do you do - I was thinking of threading them onto string between canes, with a knot each side of the CDs to stop them all sliding into each other.

[Nicos]

We fasten each one onto a seperate piece of string ,each of different lengths, and then dangle them off a 'washing line' between two points. If they are too close they get really tangled up. They'll get tangled whatever.

[nick the grief]

F&V,

I use cd's and atache them to canes with String and wire like this



Hope this helps.

The wire is threaded thru the hole and then stops it slipping off. If you make something simmilar only larger to fit the top of the cane you can suspend 2 cd's 1 either side.

[Nicos]

So ...how do you manage to balance the string upright like that?

[nick the grief]

viagra or art, whichever I find first

[TrueEnigma]

Nick, thank you for that..it made me laugh for the first time today!!!

[nick the grief]

Thats my trouble TE I don't take things serious enough ... well according to my Wife .... perhaps she need some Borage (see other thread for explanation)

[JennieAtkinson]

Did wonder why "the grief" !!

[nick the grief]

Well there used to be a racehorse called Nick the Brief and one lad I used to work with had a chippy in the vilage where he lived and the owner was called Nick the Greek (obvius reason) and I was "Christened" the gireif as a sort of mixture + my sense (or lack of it) of humour and it sort of stuck. My wife calls me a lot worse

[Jaxom]

Sounds like the villages here in Wales, with Evans the milk. Evans the post and Evans the voice.
Jax

[nick the grief]

wot no myfanwys