At what stage are onion sets safe from birds?

[Russel Sprout]

Morning all

My first year ever growing onions. In fact, I hadn't intended to but then someone kindly gave me a pot full of onion sets and I couldn't resist!

I read that newly planted sets need to be protected from birds, who like to come grab them and deposit them elsewhere in the garden. So I fashioned together some protection with netting and it has worked a treat. However, we now need to use the netting and sticks elsewhere in the garden, but I don't want to leave my onions defenceless prematurely.

So... At what stage are onion sets safe from birds?

Photos below. The second one shows the most mature of the onions, whilst the last one shows some of the slower to develop ones.

Many thanks and hope everyone enjoys the rest of their weekend.

Max

[Dynamite]

I have mine in a raised bed. The soil is 6" below the top of the wood. I took away the net a couple of weeks ago once the leaves were poking through the net and had no problems. By the way, it's a real wildlife haven in my garden, especially for birds so I was worried but they haven't touched them. I think the problem is only when they are very small when they are just sticking out of the ground because to a bird it looks like a worm sticking up.

Regards..........Rob

[Dynamite]

I have mine in a raised bed. The soil is 6" below the top of the wood. I took away the net a couple of weeks ago once the leaves were poking through the net and had no problems. By the way, it's a real wildlife haven in my garden, especially for birds so I was worried but they haven't touched them. I think the problem is only when they are very small when they are just sticking out of the ground because to a bird it looks like a worm sticking up.

Regards..........Rob

By the way.......if you look at the pics on my gallery, you will see my onions, albeit, a number of weeks ago.

[Bigmallly]

Once they are showing leaf growth they should be fine as the roots should have a good hold.

[Dynamite]

By the way.......if you look at the pics on my gallery, you will see my onions, albeit, a number of weeks ago.

Here it is on the left of this pic

[Russel Sprout]

Great stuff. Thanks for the advice and thanks for sharing the pics Dynamite.

What is funny is how many different explanations are around for why the birds do it. I don't think I can remember them all, but some that I do:

- They are trying to get the onions themselves
- Using them for their nests
- To get insects/slugs/worms from beneath the onion
- Because they mistake them for worms

I'll add more as I remember them. But in the meantime, seeing as my question is answered, perhaps we should go off topic and turn this into a "Reasons why birds steal onion sets" thread!

[Jay-ell]

It's not always birds who pull up the sets, frost can push them out as can their own roots at times.

I thought I had a new type of levitating onion last week. The outside of the set was stuck on the shoots which, as they grew, pulled up the set and left behind the insides which were rooted in the ground.

As to the reasons the birds pull them up :-

• Because they're bored and they know it winds gardeners up?
• Because they can?
• They think all these whispy bits of onion skin make the plot look untidy?
• They're using your onion bed for a game of draughts and the sets are the pieces?