How to choose and install a strawberry bird net?

In the spring, gardeners and gardeners have to work hard to grow a decent harvest. With the ripening of the berries, the hassle of summer residents only increases. At this time, ripe fruits begin to attack flocks of voracious birds. To prevent birds from pecking berries, many gardeners use various tricks in an attempt to scare away birds. One of the most successful options is to install special nets on the beds. The types of such grids, their features, advantages and disadvantages, as well as the methods of their installation, will be discussed in this article.

Flocks of sparrows and starlings arrive to feast on ripe berries. Tits, rooks, pigeons and other birds can visit the site with a ripe crop. A flock of such birds can destroy crops in a matter of minutes. With the installed grids, losses on the site can be greatly reduced.

There are many ways to protect ripe strawberries from birds. Hanging bright propellers, magnetic tapes, New Year's rains is a temporary measure. Most often, such methods only scare away intruders for a while.

The bird netting is currently made from synthetic materials. A canvas made of high-quality nylon or plastic will last more than one season. Stretch fabrics have larger cells than tulle or tulle, while the material remains flexible and light.

Its color plays an important role. Against the background of foliage, birds will be clearly visible canvases with white, orange or red fibers, so they avoid such places. The green net is almost invisible and looks more decorative. When installing this option, there is a risk of birds falling under the net and entanglement in the threads.

The strawberry net helps keep ripe berries away from birds. The advantages of such devices are undeniable:

• they serve to shelter the crop from pests;

• block the path to ripe strawberries;

• they are easy to install yourself;

• the covering structure will not interfere during watering, when feeding plants, pollination by bees;

• such nets can serve for more than one year.

But with some fastening methods, this process is not so laborious. In addition, with constant manipulations with the canvas, its service life is reduced, and to build a frame, you will need to spend money on purchasing the necessary materials.

Different methods are used against the invasion of birds. You can make protective structures yourself with the help of improvised means. As a basis, you can take a fishing net or use rags. A material with cells about 0.5-2.5 cm in size is suitable. Many gardeners believe that it is better to take a mesh with a cell size of 20x20 mm.

It is much more convenient to use ready-made covering models sold in the store. Such products can be made from nylon, polymer threads, or plastic. You can choose a product of the right size for yourself, choose your preferred color. On sale there are models in white, black and green.

Modern, high-quality polypropylene canvases are more popular. It is a lightweight and durable material that is resistant to UV rays and decay.The length of the rolls can be different, ranging from 5 to 100 meters, products are selected depending on the format of the garden bed, shrub or tree.

This shelter does not interfere with the growth of plants, so it can be installed in early spring and removed after picking the berries. The protective net will not create additional shade, will not impede the access of moisture when watering.

Domestic and foreign manufacturers produce durable and high-quality polypropylene nets. They reliably protect berries, fruits and vegetables without interfering with their vital functions. There are many companies that produce bird protection products for gardeners and gardeners. The most popular brands are several firms.

• GreenArt. The products have a size of 2x5 m. The set also includes pegs (4 pcs.) With a size of about 12 cm.

• "Tent Market". The covering fabric has cells of 8x8 mm. The size of the canvas itself is 3x5 meters. Such a mesh "cocoon" is very durable, its service life is 5 years or more.

• "Dachnikov". This polypropylene cover sheet has a size of 2x10 meters. The cell has a size of 7x9 mm.

• Garden Show. The models are very light, they do not put a lot of stress on the strawberry bushes. The size of the products is 4x6 m and 2x10 m, the weight is 160 and 200 grams. The color of the products is khaki, thanks to which it hides bright juicy fruits well and does not attract attention to the garden.

Often, gardeners simply throw a mesh cloth over the strawberry beds, pressing them down on the sides with bricks or stones. This is a simplified option that does not require special costs and additional time to install the structure. But this method has a drawback - in this case, the plantings begin to ventilate worse, which leads to diseases, the appearance of rot.

To protect against uninvited guests, you need to know how to properly install the structure on the strawberry garden, how to cover and fix it. There are several ways to stretch the mesh. Choose the desired option depending on the rigidity of the products. If the model is rigid, it can be bent into a tent and secured around the perimeter with cobblestones or pegs.

When installed on a support, the canvas is pulled over the frame. These can be metal, plastic or bamboo arcs. The number of supports installed will depend on the length of the bed itself. The distance between the arcs can be from 60 to 80 cm. In this case, you get a structure in the form of a tunnel. If necessary, take high arcs and make a shelter in the form of a greenhouse.

There is another option in which the mesh is stretched over a box made of boards. Although the construction of such a structure is a more laborious process, it will last much longer than the previous version. To make it convenient to care for the strawberry bushes, the boards need to be picked up with a height of 60 cm.If the bed is long, jumpers are installed for the stability of the structure. In this case, the side walls are made movable.

After choosing a frame, you should decide how to properly lay it and fix it in order to protect the crop from birds. When choosing a box, the canvas is nailed directly to the wood frame. Fastening to the frame is done using:

• stapler for construction work;

• wire;

• clothes pegs;

• pegs;

• twine;

• hooks;

• glazing beads (thin slats).

When installed on a support with arcs, both nets are connected from above using strong clothespins for drying clothes. To avoid gaps, it is advisable to do this with an overlap. When picking berries, the clothespins must be removed - this will allow the net to fall off the arches, providing free access to the sweet berry. After harvesting, the canvas is lifted and fixed with clothespins.

If the netting is too loose, birds will be able to dive in and ruin the crop. To prevent the birds from pecking berries, it is better to stretch and cover the garden with not one, but two nets on each side. To do this, each mesh is attached to the ground on one side with wire hooks. You can also additionally fix the attachment points with wooden planks in problem areas.