[DD.]

Maybe your plot is not lined with 100 ft trees loaded with pigeons waiting for you to go home!

It is, that's why I put the sticks in the ground.

If they can't land next to the plants, they can't eat them.

Our pigeons can walk as well as fly. They walk around the peas eating them if not netted.

[DD.]

Well, I have 10 pea plants

10 pea plants! That's not enough for a foot of row!

Pigeons pobably haven't even noticed them!

[zazen999]

Maybe your plot is not lined with 100 ft trees loaded with pigeons waiting for you to go home!

It is, that's why I put the sticks in the ground.

If they can't land next to the plants, they can't eat them.

Our pigeons can walk as well as fly. They walk around the peas eating them if not netted.

Well it works for me. I guess you're gonna disagree with me no matter what I write - the OP asked what the alternatives to netting were - so I answered it. There's no need to contradict every thing I say - Moderator.

[DD.]

Well it works for me. I guess you're gonna disagree with me no matter what I write - the OP asked what the alternatives to netting were - so I answered it. There's no need to contradict every thing I say - Moderator.

I said "our pigeons can walk as well as fly". How does that contradict what you posted?

[zazen999]

Well it works for me. I guess you're gonna disagree with me no matter what I write - the OP asked what the alternatives to netting were - so I answered it. There's no need to contradict every thing I say - Moderator.

I said "our pigeons can walk as well as fly". How does that contradict what you posted?

Why even say that?

[Ice]

My owl on a stick worked for 20 minutes.   After that they realised that it was no threat.

The very worst pest in my garden is the sparrow.  They ate the peas as they came throught the ground and land on the nets pecking any leaf within reach.

Net it or risk losing it.  You might get lucky, but once they realise there is a free lunch they will put your postcode in their little birdy satnavs and eat the lot.

[DD.]

Well it works for me. I guess you're gonna disagree with me no matter what I write - the OP asked what the alternatives to netting were - so I answered it. There's no need to contradict every thing I say - Moderator.

I said "our pigeons can walk as well as fly". How does that contradict what you posted?

Why even say that?

Because of this...

Maybe your plot is not lined with 100 ft trees loaded with pigeons waiting for you to go home!

It is, that's why I put the sticks in the ground.

If they can't land next to the plants, they can't eat them.

The last line of that post simply cannot be held to be true for all. Some may get the impression that this is the solution to their problem and it may not be. By all means try it, but be prepared for losses.

[zazen999]

Well it works for me. I guess you're gonna disagree with me no matter what I write - the OP asked what the alternatives to netting were - so I answered it. There's no need to contradict every thing I say - Moderator.

I said "our pigeons can walk as well as fly". How does that contradict what you posted?

Why even say that?

Because of this...

Maybe your plot is not lined with 100 ft trees loaded with pigeons waiting for you to go home!

It is, that's why I put the sticks in the ground.

If they can't land next to the plants, they can't eat them.

The last line of that post simply cannot be held to be true for all. Some may get the impression that this is the solution to their problem and it may not be. By all means try it, but be prepared for losses.

Oh I see. You meant by all means try it. I see now. I thought you were being sarcastic. Silly me.

[Ice]

Someone has to draw a line under these exchanges and it's going to be me.

Zazen, I thought your last line was sarcastic in the extreme.  Your point is taken, lets move on.

[Aunt Sally]

I think it's the hot weather Ice . We all need to chill

[peapod]

The end result (to me at first and many others) is, if you dont like netting, then try other alternatives by all means.  I tried last year as I couldnt afford the netting at the time.  I ended up with two tiny cabbages and everything else was lost.  The do look unsightly, but do you want results? Netting will give you the best results... in the end its a big enough struggle with all pests to not count is as the best option.

As I said, not just against birds but other pests.

DD is plagued with birds, and he does know his stuff on this one.

[Ice]

Plus, if you use the blue slug pellets the hedgehogs can't eat the dead slugs.

[peapod]

Plus, if you use the blue slug pellets the hedgehogs can't eat the dead slugs.

Excellent point Ice

[zazen999]

The end result (to me at first and many others) is, if you dont like netting, then try other alternatives by all means.  I tried last year as I couldnt afford the netting at the time.  I ended up with two tiny cabbages and everything else was lost.  The do look unsightly, but do you want results? Netting will give you the best results... in the end its a big enough struggle with all pests to not count is as the best option.

As I said, not just against birds but other pests.

DD is plagued with birds, and he does know his stuff on this one.

I'm sure he does, but a better response could have been posted...it's not the first time I've had sarcasm from DD and unless I am binned from here, I'm sure it won't be the last.

My lottie is surrounded by countryside, we are right by the Trent, and the Trent and Mersey Canal; and we get all sorts of animals and birds - last year my netting was ripped to shreds one weekend so I decided to lay sticks all round the smaller plants, and to have sticks upright and pointing all directions around the larger ones and we had little trouble since. As we had an apple tree that had been felled the previous year - we had lots of small knobbly sticks as well as plenty of longer ones.

Ergo, when someone asks for an alternative, I am happy to share options. What's wrong with that?

[peapod]

Absolutely nothing Zazen, we all have opinions on what dos/doesnt work for us and want to share that info.  The trouble is with the birdies is that they do find a way eventually..maybe not now, but in the colder months when theres less to eat. They then zone in on your plants eventually.  Thats DDs experience, and many others too.

Please dont take him as sarcastic, hes blunt and to the point and says a lot in a sentence or two, but hes not a sarky bloke. Aunt Sally would soon have something to say to a mod that was.