[Benandbill]

If I were to pick a load now while they were still green and put them away somewhere, would they ripen on their own?  A fellow plot holder said he left his on there while they were black planning to pick them the next day and the bush had been stripped bare by birds.  I tried netting them but they just grow through the mesh, I know you need cages really but that's too big a project for me at the moment.

[DD.]

No, they're only a small fruit and would quickly loose their moisture content and whizzen.

You need to cover, but the net you throw over them needs to be a fine mesh.

[Beetroot queen]

I havent ever netted mine in the past but now i am wondering whether i should, we do have very large wire cages available that could be moved to cover them i suppose.

[compostqueen]

If you don't chuck a net curtain, etc  over them then you have to be on the ball and visit the plot daily or the birds will nick them. 

[Beetroot queen]

If you don't chuck a net curtain, etc  over them then you have to be on the ball and visit the plot daily or the birds will nick them.

I dont understand why we have never had a problem, only one person on our site has netted them. Maybe our somerset birds dont like them  may net just incase i have tempted fate

[Nobbie]

If you don't chuck a net curtain, etc  over them then you have to be on the ball and visit the plot daily or the birds will nick them.

I dont understand why we have never had a problem, only one person on our site has netted them. Maybe our somerset birds dont like them  may net just incase i have tempted fate

It seems to vary by where you are. When I was in Herts I never netted the blackcurrants and none were taken. When I moved up to Cheshire I went up the allotment on Friday and saw that they were fully ripe and went back on Monday to pick them and every one had gone Pigeons I think as the branches had been broken where the fat gits had been sitting on the plants Last year I just draped netting over the top once they started to ripen. Which reminds me that I must do it again soon.

[rachelsco]

thanks nobbie  thats reminded me to do it too

[viettaclark]

Did a Summer prune of all my currants and goosegogs yesterday which made the bushes easier to net.
Each bush has chicken wire round to stop the....yes.....chickens.....scratching round so I drape over some fine mesh and peg it to the wire. Big faff but the birds here are partial to fruit.
Werks for me!

[dmg]

We don't seem to have the problems with the birds here, my aunt's plots is about 1/2 fruit bushes and are never netted

[Benandbill]

Well I just had another look at them today and they're all there and starting to change colour now.  I guess the birds only like them when they're fully ripe.

[Growster...]

We've just netted all our blackcurrants, as they're just about ripening, and for the first time ever, we've got a glut..;0)

But the blasted pigeons are a menace, and I need a good recipe for the blighters..'0(

[Beetroot queen]

We've just netted all our blackcurrants, as they're just about ripening, and for the first time ever, we've got a glut..;0)

But the blasted pigeons are a menace, and I need a good recipe for the blighters..'0(

How about roasted pigeon with a blackcurrant glaze, seems ao fitting 

[Benandbill]

We've just netted all our blackcurrants, as they're just about ripening, and for the first time ever, we've got a glut..;0)

But the blasted pigeons are a menace, and I need a good recipe for the blighters..'0(

How about roasted pigeon with a blackcurrant glaze, seems ao fitting 

I suggest a nice pigeon pie followed by nice blackcurrant crumble with ice cream.  Mmmm

[Beetroot queen]

With the amount of pigeons about i am sure it could be a five course dinner 

[chickpeacurry]

Pigeons are a menace.  At the plot last night until 630 gone back this afternoon s and they have wrecked my peas. T they have sat on top of my netting.  Had to build it brighter.   They have stripped 2 gooseberry bushes.  Wish something could be done with them.