My beans, my beans - sob!!!

[jogette]

Went up to the lottie today to pick the broad beans that were ready and found eek!! the the b***dy pigeons had scoffed the lot
The plot two down from mine has larger plants with more beans and not only does she not have blackfly but she has no pigeon damage either. I always told my kids that life isn't fair - it isn't and it's small consolation for a beanless dinner tonight. I was so looking forward to them

Jan

[Snadger]

Cripes............never heard of pigeons nicking broad beans!

[ann-the-nan]

My beans,my beans - sob!!!

Reminder to self. Must get some enviromesh. (You can't buy old net curtains round here for love or money)

[Wriggler]

I am in mourning with you.. lost my strawberries today to birds / rat / cat / ??

Sob..

[Two_Sheds]

I've never known pigeons to attack broad beans ... and I have 100s of plants on my plot, and 100s of pigeons

[Snadger]

Reminder to self. Must get some enviromesh. (You can't buy old net curtains round here for love or money)

Oxfam?

[Edwardo82]

The little blighters got my first strawberries as well. My next door neighbour has seen them at hers as well as her peas

I think at this rate we will be having Wood Pigeon one night soon :P

[jenjen]

JOgette, are you me? I'm blaming rats though.

[Snadger]

JOgette, are you me? I'm blaming rats though.

They ARE rats............flying rats!

[COMPOST CORNER]

They ARE rats............flying rats!

Wood pigeons aren't lying rats, they are a pest but good eating.
Rock dove's (common town/city pigeons) are disease ridden flying rats, but in my experience are less of a problem to crops.

[gojiberry]

I have pigeons around me nut they don't seem to bother with anything on the lottie, however I do have problems with crows and I have definitely seen them open up the broad bean pods and eat the beans.

Ian

[magz.mccarthy]

I saw a parrot tucking into my allotment neighbour's gooseberries last weekend .. surreal! It must be an escaped pet! A bright yellow fella, absolutely beautiful.

[Flummery]

We have had squirrels nicking broad bean plants at our site - they were seen pulling them up by the roots! They also pinch unripe strawbs and make little piles of them under the foliage - a bit like caches of nuts!

I hate to say this, but it might NOt be pigeons.

[jogette]

Hmm..... maybe not pigeons then, but a group of them flew away from the area as I approached and I only have onions in the next two beds- that's why I thought they were the culprits.

I shall cover the plants that still have beans ripening and see what happens.
We have woodland on two sides of our site and a mature hedge on the third. Evidently a des res for pigeons as we have to cover nearly all our crops. I can just imagine them sitting on a branch looking down and wondering what to have for supper.

[Storm]

Reminder to self. Must get some enviromesh. (You can't buy old net curtains round here for love or money)

I bought fine netting (that could be used for curtains) off the local market for just £1 per metre. It’s been very effective at keeping the birds off. Scaffolding mesh works well too and you can sometimes find it in skips.