[Zippy]

OK - so isn't it time you lot let me into the inner circle of allotment growers - those Pagan Earthsmiths of the allotment society?

Why do my fellow allotmenteers put plastic pop bottles on the ends of their long canes? Is it to prevent someone poking their eye out in the dark, to scare birds with their rattling, or just to look pretty with their different colours and shapes?

I do it because I think it helps to keep the flying rats at bay, but are there any other reasons out there?

[DD.]

It won't keep our flying rats away, only a kevlar mesh barrier will do.  In the main on out site it's to stop you poking your eye out. Never mind the dark, it's easy enough to do it in the daylight!

[Salmo]

DD there is an old trick you have missed. If you put most of the bottles in a regular pattern with just one out of place the flying rats are suspicious and keep off.

[mikem]

Bottles/pots etc are also useful when putting netting over brassicas so that the net doesn't fall down the canes.

[Trillium]

Also, if you lose your balance and fall onto one of those posts, or back into one, the pain is much less intense with a bottle on top. some folk use ping pong balls, others use tennis balls. Depends on the look you want and the size of your wallet.

[DD.]

DD there is an old trick you have missed. If you put most of the bottles in a regular pattern with just one out of place the flying rats are suspicious and keep off.

I don't know whether I dare risk trying it!!

[Trillium]

 From what I know of pigeons, they're too stupid to notice the difference.

[noshed]

You need a few canes with carrier bags on as well to become part of the inner sanctum.

[Trillium]

OK - so isn't it time you lot let me into the inner circle of allotment growers - those Pagan Earthsmiths of the allotment society?

Should we tell him about the naked dancing at the full moon?

[DD.]

The CD's - don't forget the CD's!!

[cooperman]

hmmm my bottle-on-top-of-cane is a bit more prosaic and not a Pagan Ritual, it just makes an ideal canopy to chuck over the anti pidgeon nets...

Pidgeons are not so daft either, I have watched several walk round my barrier looking for an opening...

[matthew2riches]

Don't get me started on pigeons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would of had a nice load of sprouts but as we were running short of time (any money) - we did not net them.

They were gone in a few weeks.  Nibbled the sprouts, leaves and stalk!

I had a few plants from the middle of the bed put apart from these.......that's it!

Very upsetting but I've learned my lesson for next year!

[cooperman]

yes - its always been necessary to net quite a bit of stuff as they tend to strip anything remotely edible a la cabbage family....

We used to have a regime on our lottie of tipping out the pidgeon nests in the trees lining the site (with a VERY long pole) until someone offsite complained to the council and we had the site agent moaning....   I wish I had a 12 bore - that's make a nice loud bang on a Sunday morning... hehe

[matthew2riches]

cooperman: I have guns, we're just not allowed to be seen using them on site!

I have sat down there in the past and had a few but it all takes time.  When I am not sat there, they will be there.  I cannot sit down the lottie 24 hours a day (I wish I could)!

[peterjf]

we tie old cda - dvds to our canes , eventually when we get a little sun they reflect the big yellow thing in the sky , when the wind blows the disks blow and bang on the canes etc ,