View Full Version : The birds stole my figs!
caliboy1994
09-09-2011, 08:13 PM
The birds stole all of the figs off of my tree! :mad: I had just planted it this March, and I'm surprised it made figs already. The tree itself is actually still quite small. But I need to keep the birds, or anything for that matter, from stealing my precious figs! Is there anything I can do besides something like netting, which looks bad? I'd appreciate the help!
island cassie
09-09-2011, 09:41 PM
I don't know anything other than netting - perhaps a netting cage like they use for tall soft fruit like raspberries.
palmtree
09-09-2011, 10:00 PM
Wish I could come up with some other idea, but many of the figs I see around here are covered in netting when the figs are starting to get a bit of size to them. I admit, its not a very nice look, but it does get the job done for sure! I would imagine that it gets difficult to put the netting on large fig trees, but I have seen figs here over 12 feet tall with netting on them, so I guess its very possible.
I have seen figs that arent bothered by the birds because there isnt anything else attracting the birds to the yard. If you or one of your neighbors has a bird feeder, then that might be bringing the birds to your fig tree.
sunfish
09-09-2011, 10:15 PM
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caliboy1994
09-09-2011, 11:07 PM
Thanks. I guess netting will have to do. Too bad I have to wait till next year for more figs :( I know that one thing that works once your fig tree gets too big to cover is to put shiny silver tape over your yard. It reflects sunlight into the birds' eyes and helps keep them away. @Sunfish: I think that propane cannon is a bit out of my budget...
Chance1945
09-10-2011, 08:28 PM
I'm watching for the answers and suggestions you might receive. The same thing happens to be every time the tree produces ---- I get about 3-4 crops of figs each year. The birds eat every single one of them. My tree has a new crop right now and I would like to save at least one for me. With as many crops as this little tree produces each year I could make a lot of fig preserves ---mmmmm---if I could just keep the birds away. I wish I had more in the way of help to offer you, but I'm in the same boat, but I do wish you luck.
Chance
caliboy1994
09-10-2011, 08:37 PM
My grandfather has fig trees in his yard and he has no problems with the birds. Try using those silver streamers I was talking about earlier, although I don't know where to find them.
Darkman
09-12-2011, 06:06 PM
I have four young trees and will be fighting this battle soon. I think the trick is to get the trees large quickly and then the fruit production will be too much for the birds to eat it all. Hopefully they will get the ones off the top where you can't reach.
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I'm sure my neighbors would love that.
Come to think off it I'm not so sure I'd tolerate it either
caliboy1994
09-12-2011, 10:08 PM
My grandfather also has sonic blasters in his yard. He can't hear them because his ears are too old to hear the high pitched noises, but I can hear them and they sound horrible. At least they do a good job of keeping the squirrels away. :D
john_ny
09-12-2011, 10:23 PM
I've found netting to be effective. The only problems are; if the tree is a decent size, it's a heck of a job installing the net: you have to get it on early enough, as birds and squirrels will eat stuff before it's even ripe. I had some hazelnuts (filberts) that were completely gone, and they were still green inside. If you do get the netting on early enough, the branches will grow through, and then it's almost impossible to get it off, without really tearing the tree up.
caliboy1994
09-13-2011, 01:02 AM
My tree is really small, it only has two actual branches, and it was just planted this year. In fact, I was surprised it made figs at all this year. So I should easily be able to cover it with netting next year. The birds only stole the figs when they were just about ripe, not while they were ripening. There was one that I was planning to pick but it got stolen just before I was going to pick it. Oh well, I'll wait till next year. :(
Chance1945
09-14-2011, 10:06 PM
My grandfather also has sonic blasters in his yard. He can't hear them because his ears are too old to hear the high pitched noises, but I can hear them and they sound horrible. At least they do a good job of keeping the squirrels away. :D
Never heard of sonic blasters, and I'm old too. I have a worse problem with squirrells than I do birds. They eat every pecan on my huge tree. I've never harvested one. Plus they raid the bird feeder. The rabbits are another pest. A portion of my lot has chain link fencing and the baby rabbits slip right through it.
caliboy1994
09-15-2011, 10:57 AM
Well apparently sonic blasters really help. My grandfather has an entire organic garden with sonic blasters set up. He never has any problem with squirrels, rabbits, or birds, so I guess that the sonic blasters work well. The only downside is the annoying high-pitched sound that they make.
Darkman
10-07-2011, 07:40 AM
I have a worse problem with squirrells than I do birds. They eat every pecan on my huge tree. Plus they raid the bird feeder. The rabbits are another pest.......
Sounds like you need some rabbit and squirrel stew this winter then maybe next year you can have some pecan encrusted fried rabbit!
Chance1945
10-08-2011, 12:58 PM
Sounds like you need some rabbit and squirrel stew this winter then maybe next year you can have some pecan encrusted fried rabbit!
That is absolutely, positively digusting! On second thought, there are times that if I had a gun I'd take your advice.
I'm just across Mobile Bay from you, so we can probably grow the same bananas. I'm in Bayou La Batre, Alabama, almost due west of Pensacola.
Chance
caliboy1994
10-08-2011, 01:15 PM
Sounds yummy...
Darkman
10-08-2011, 11:16 PM
That is absolutely, positively digusting! On second thought, there are times that if I had a gun I'd take your advice.
I'm just across Mobile Bay from you, so we can probably grow the same bananas. I'm in Bayou La Batre, Alabama, almost due west of Pensacola.
Chance
What? You don't like pecans! Sorry.:ha:
Chance1945
10-16-2011, 12:02 AM
UPDATE. I ate a fig from my tree today. The first EVER in three years. I found some old Christmas tree bulbs and hung them on the tree along with disposable alminum tins that I picked up at the Dollar Store. I also invested in a plastic owl and mounted him on a post near the tree. It's not a pretty sight to look at but it must work because I ate a fig.
Darkman
10-18-2011, 08:18 PM
You can't argue with sucess!
Congrats
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