[Donnay]

This will be my first year on my allotment and I'm wondering if all types of crops initially and throughout the season need protecting with netting from birds etc? Can anyone advise which crops need protecting please.

[DD.]

Peas, lettuce & brassicas in the main

[Donnay]

DD I new you would come to my rescue, thanks!

[JayG]

As far as soft fruit is concerned, from personal experience I'd say it's essential to net blueberries, highly advisable to net strawberries, and that summer raspberries seem to be much more appealing to birds than autumn ones.

Don't know about other soft fruits because I don't grow any others these days.

[mumofstig]

Sparrers are always a pest on runner beans here  but not a lot you can do to stop the little blighters when they're 6ft or so up a pole 

[DD.]

Never had a problem with runner beans, but as far a fruit is concerned have to net the strawberries once they start to ripen, same with the currants.

Some net their summer raspberries on out site, but seems no need for the autumn ones.

(I always forget to think about fruit if someone poses a question!)

[JayG]

Sparrers are always a pest on runner beans here  but not a lot you can do to stop the little blighters when they're 6ft or so up a pole 

Same problem here - they seem to peck and destroy the flower buds just for the fun of it! 

I grow my runners on a Munty frame rather than poles, and last year rigged up netting so it hung parallel to the diagonal of the frame and about 6" away from it - seemed to be enough to put the little varmints off without endangering them.

[mumofstig]

I have the old ebay polytunnel frame and after much repair work with gaffa tape, it's going to be my new 'cover the whole garden plot' netted frame. The netting is bright green and lurid so I'm hoping the birds will see it and stay clear, I think the neighbours will probably feel the same - but tough 

[heloise]

We have problems with birds and cherries, raspberries (though not too much if I'm honest) and currants. Oh, and brassicas, big time. They will get enviromeshed whilst small then netted with a frame made of bamboo and tennis balls with holes in at the corners once they get bigger - the birds are a much bigger pest than butterflies.
Haven't worked out what to do about the cherries yet although the trees are still small. Last year we had a few cherries for about... oooh, an hour before they vanished!

[aelf]

I've rigged up netting over my fruit using the frames from two old family frame tents. Works really well but somehow the blackbirds find their way in. Cunning, them backwards!