Covering garlic and onions

[cabbagepatchkid]

First time growing onion sets and garlic, and they are all sprouting quite well now - do you wise ones think they still need protection from birds? I have them under netting but some of the garlics are hitting the top of the netting and bending over, so can I remove the netting and let them get on with it, or are birds likely to munch them? WE do have a lot of pigeons on the site.

[hamamelis]

You never quite know, but I never had issues with birds damaging onions and garlic once they were growing strongly. Magpies love pulling newly planted ones out, but once they've got enough roots to be properly anchored it's not so fun.

I never had issues with pigeons eating them, they just et the brassicas.

[Birdie Wife]

In my experience I've never had problems with birds eating onions or garlic. They will pull out the bulbs before they are rooted though, probably looks like a tasty worm poking its head above ground, but once they are rooted and shooted there should be no problems.

[bikermike]

garlic-eating pigeons? are they French?

On a more serious note, I've never had a problem with birds eating any of them
Squirrels digging the things out pre-sprouting, but not birds.

However, depending where you are, you might want to think about insect netting to keep out leek-miner insects. (see thread in the weeds section for links)

[cabbagepatchkid]

Thanks guys, uncovered them today so they can grow unfettered for a bit, then will net them in a couple of months before the leaf miner gets here. Thank you for the reminder, I tend to forget about bug threats until it's too late!