Dasturdly Pigeons

[Vegetarian Fox]

Pea crop lovingly nurtured in cold frame and then planted out decimated in 12 hours by fat pigeons

Whats best - do suspended CDs work (I have large collection of truly abysmal cds) or is only effective method to cover somehow?

A depressed fox

[Flummery]

My very young peas are netted - later I remove the net and put in canes with old poly bags cut in strips - these make long ribbons that flap in the wind. Top the cane with an upturned tonic bottle (someimes you have to drink extra gin to empty one!) and this makes a sinister rattling in the wind. When the peas get a bit older they pigeons don't bother with them. It's mainly the new shoots they eat.

[Polly Fouracre]

What good advice Flummery! I usually put empty water bottles over my canes but you reccomend tonic bottles? I'll bite the bullet and drink more gin if the tonic bottles will help my crops!!

[Head-in-a-shed]

net is the only answer! You can take it off when they get bigger. I put net over everything like cabbage, lettuce, beans, peas - the pigeons don't seem to eat leeks or garlic 'though

[Alice]

What a shame Vegetarian Fox. I don't think the CD's will work for long. Like all those methods, they work for a few hours or days, then the animal gets used to them. I put a net over all young vegetables.

[nemo]

CDs and DVDs work for me every year i also tie a few plastic carrier bags on the same rope. the Cd's must be able to turn i use a light string tied onto the main line works for me

[Mike and Louise]

We net ours until they are getting too big.
Then we cut 3' lengths of tin foil about 1" thick and stick these to 6' bamboo canes.
The foil strips move about in even the slightest breeze and they also reflect the sunlight (when it's out ). The flashing light and movement seems to work well in keeping most birds away.

[tomsloc]

How long do you need to wait before you remove the net from things like sprouts and winter cabbage.

[Flummery]

How long do you need to wait before you remove the net from things like sprouts and winter cabbage.

When you want to eat them You do round here anyway. The pigeons are eating the last of my spring cabbage which is beginning to flower, which is why I moved the net.

I woke up this morning with palpitations - I'd had a nightmare that I'd gone back to my lottie (only been there yesterday aftenoon) and the netting had blown away and my Latvian peas and my broad beans were gone and my Lancashire Lad peas were munched down to little stumps! It can really get to you, this pigeon lark!

[Two_Sheds]

My new lottie neighbours have a superb anti-pigeon invention (sorry no pix, bear with me on these instructions) :-

• get yer 4 pint plastic milkbottle
• draw a square on 2 opposite sides
• on each square, cut around 3 sides
• bend the square back over itself so a flap sticks out
• flaps should probably be opposite each other
• mount on a cane
• the flaps should catch the wind and spin like a dervish, scaring off even hard hoody-pigeons

[piskieinboots]

....(someimes you have to drink extra gin to empty one!) ....

oh bummer, I'll try

My new lottie neighbours have a superb anti-pigeon invention (sorry no pix, bear with me on these instructions) :-

• get yer 4 pint plastic milkbottle
• draw a square on 2 opposite sides
• on each square, cut around 3 sides
• bend the square back over itself so a flap sticks out
• flaps should probably be opposite each other
• mount on a cane
• the flaps should catch the wind and spin like a dervish, scaring off even hard hoody-pigeons

woooo - I need Snowdrop for this one, for a Copper he is very - erm, talented in art and thinking and stuff - not what you'd expect really is it - hehe

[Vegetarian Fox]

Thanks all - at least i take comfort we all are facing the same battle

I am especially going to try Two Sheds' spinning milk bottle idea, plus covering up as much as I can as well

[ironed out]

Sorry if it's a silly question, but I've got some old net curtains. Could I use that for covering up sprouts/broad beans etc.

[heebiejeebie]

sprouts - yes
broadies - yes until they flower then you need to let the bees in.

[deezyb]

I've tried the old CDs trick but have resorted to netting my veg until they're a bit bigger. My dad had an idea that tape from old videos could be used to flutter about etc when tied to bamboo canes etc. Apparently this worked for him so I may try it later on.

D