[thrapston]

Started my allotment early spring. A month of hand digging and stone (boulder) removing. . Manured and Rotivated plot. Onions, shallots, beetroot, lettuce, carrot, spring onion runner and french beans doing well.
Had a long weekend of work, arrived at my allotment early yesterday to see every pigeon in the county take of avoiding all the CD's dangling on the plot.
Gutted. Almost all of my cabbages and couliflowers eaten for breakfast.
To late to start new plants from seed, will try the shops to get new plants.
I will have to set up some sort of netting.
Any tips please  :x

[corndolly]

If the growing tips have nt been eaten, as long as you cover them, they may be OK .

[franmeerkat]

Bad luck, thrapston. I've got all my brassicas growing under fleece - got some cheapo fleece from Tesco.

[Hampshire Hog]

I was told pigeons don't like Kale so planted some under my Munty frame. Yesterday I found 2 of the plants reduced to stumps  :evil: so have rapidly transferred to another bed under netting.

Clear message the little b****s will steal anything!

Cheers HH

[ratman]

Pigeons will eat most things green unfortunately. Kale is no exception particularly as a small plant. If you are looking to make a cover with netting then I would recommend 50mm polypropylene net, we use it for professional pigeon proofing and it lasts for years.
Current cost is 32p + vat per square metre and is available from SX environmental freephone 0800 0851 451.
It is available in black, white, stone, translucent and is flame retardent.

If you buy a standard stock size  5m x 5m   10m x 10m or 20m x 20m the price is reduced to 28p a square metre.

5 x 5        = £    7: 00
10 x 10    = £   28: 00
20 x 20    = £ 112 : 00      + vat

Delivery is usually 3-4 days

Hope this helps

Ratman

[Johnny Norfolk]

I have .22 air rifle for them. Its the only way. I find each year a few move in and start feeding. I probaly shoot about 20 per years and it keeps them at bay.

Sit in my shed with a big cigar and a glass of malt and wait for them. The decoy works well and always brings on any that are around.

In the winter up to 20 of us go accross the fields and will bag about 15 each.

Its good sport and keeps them in check.

If your allotment is surrounded by houses its a problem. You need to shoot safely.

[thrapston]

Not alowed to shootish. But I am doing Cabage Pie tomorrow. ie the birds that ate my greens

[Tigerhair]

I feed my birds - including the pigeons and have had NO trouble with them on the veggie patch.

[slowcompost]

damm pigeons have had my peas.  Covered them with wire and they were doing fine till they got as tall as the wire then they just keep taking the growing tips out as they pock through the wire.
Only way is cover in cage netting as high as the peas will grow.

[compo]

I have .22 air rifle for them. Its the only way. I find each year a few move in and start feeding. I probaly shoot about 20 per years and it keeps them at bay.

Sit in my shed with a big cigar and a glass of malt and wait for them. The decoy works well and always brings on any that are around.

In the winter up to 20 of us go accross the fields and will bag about 15 each.

Its good sport and keeps them in check.

If your allotment is surrounded by houses its a problem. You need to shoot safely.

 Yeah man Johnny! Its what those camping chairs with the cup holders were made for! Makes for  a lovely pie!

[peterjf]

hi there , all you have to do to stop the pigeons is string above your greens , you dont have to cover them completely , the pigeons will not come anywhere near your greens once you have strung them

[Johnny Norfolk]

They  are pests and we should do all we can to get rid of them. If they are not eating yours they are next door or on the farmers field.

No one likes killing for the sake of it but these and rabbits need keeping in check. now there is no fox hunting there are no foxes the farmers have shot them all.