Protecting your Garden from the Birds

I wrote an article last month about using netting as a way to protect your prized fruit trees and vegetable garden from the birds. And I got an education about WHY THAT MAY NOT BE THE BEST SOLUTION!

Deborah, one of my readers, volunteers at Liberty Wildlife in Scottsdale, AZ and took the time to share a few facts about the trouble netting causes the birds:

 

“In our public outings with the Education birds, we attempt to increase the public's awareness about the impact of various materials on wildlife. Topics range from fishing line left on the ground, balloons, plastic, and netting.

 

Right now, at Liberty Wildlife a Cooper's hawk will probably have to be euthanized because his legs were entangled in netting. Blood flow was cut off for too long of a time before he was found, and he can not properly use his talons. He is a beautiful, fully-flighted bird who cannot use his feet, and therefore, unable to survive in the wild. He was not going for the fruit; Cooper's hawks are meat eaters. “

 

Thanks Deborah – I never stopped to think about this – I always cut up the plastic rings from a six-pack of beverages as I remember learning they end up in the ocean and sea life gets trapped in them, but I had not considered the impact of bird netting and the birds!

I did a little more research and found this:  "..but in many cases products like nylon bird netting degrade rapidly and quickly become ineffective due to poor installation. Degraded nylon bird netting also has the potential to entrap wild birds,..." (PiCAS)

 

Here are a few other things you could use:

• Hang old CDs or DVDs in the tree with a sturdy twine. Do not use fishing wire for the same reason that it could get wrapped around a birds led or body.
• Use very sheer curtains you get from a thrift shop, yard sale, or your own linen closet!
• Same for using any sheer material with really small holes so the bird can’t get tangled in them
• Pick the fruit and let it ripen off the tree somewhere safe from the birds.

Always plant more than you need, in case the birds get to it before you!! Share the surplus is a Permaculture ethic and one that goes to animals and as well as humans. You won’t be so discouraged if you have plenty of food in the garden for everyone.

 

By keeping a garden that supports and doesn’t harm the eco-systems you will find that in the long run, you will need less additives to your garden like fertilizers and other chemicals. Birds also eat bugs that may be damaging to your garden, so don’t scare all of them away!!

 

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

http://www.down2earthgardens.com/

 

Simple Gardening Tips for Earth Day

Love your Mother – Earth, that is!


Happy Earth Day 2010.

Forty years ago, in 1970 amidst the Vietnam War and the last of the real hippies, the first Earth Day was celebrated. I don’t think I took much notice back then and for the next two decades. I was too caught up in my own world of abundance and working for a large corporation where the money seemed endless. As long as my own little world wasn’t affected it was hard for me to feel that anything was going wrong. Sure there were movies that brought things to light, like Erin Brocovich and Three Mile Island, but again those things happened to other people, not me, so I never felt the impact.

But now days I DO care what happens to the Earth.  And one of the things that has been the most FUN for me is figuring out how to NOT buy new things, especially in the garden, except of course plants.  But even with plants I am learning more about propogating and collecting the seeds from my own plants and flowers so I do not need to buy anymore.

As my plants begin to end their life they will flower and go to seed.  I am learning patience as I watch nature's life cycle unfold before my eyes.  Last week, a started to collect the broccoli seeds.

Notice how long the stalks are in photo #1, the pods in #2 and finally the seeds in #3.  Amazing.  I have hundreds of seeds for next fall now all off of 4 plants that I let go to seed!  And this morning I started taking out my wildflowers and have hundres of blue bells, african daisy and soon California poppies.

But seed saving isn't the only thing you can do to help Mother Earth.  At a recent Garden Coaching session with Stefania, she showed me the compost sifter she made using an old plastic plant tray she got from the nursery when she bought plants and a piece of left over wire fencing she had from her garden fence. (you can see the fence in the background).  She used zip ties to hold it together.  She loves the size and light weight nature of it.  It is easy to use by herself over a small trash can.  Very creative.  No plastic going to the recycle plant here.

How will you celebrate Earth Day this year?  Perhaps stay home and play in the garden, get creative and find a use for the things you might dispose of or even recycle.  Start a tool share club with your neighbors, pledge to not buy anything new for 30 days, start a compost pile. YOU name it!

What will you plan to do for your Mother - Earth that is!

Happy Digging,

The Garden Goddess

http://www.down2earthgardens.com/