North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Doreen Howard" <doreenh@ticon.net>]

Betty,
The birds will peck holes in 2-pounders if they are thirsty enough.  They
see tomatoes as a source of water.  Putting water pans and bird baths near
the veggie garden helps some, but not totally.  Birds are attracted by the
bright red color.  One friend puts red Christmas balls on his tomato cages
about the time his plants have set their fruit.  The birds come and peck at
the glass balls and go away.  When the tomatoes ripen, the birds leave them
alone, thinking they are too hard to eat.

Generally, the hotter the summer weather, the more inclined birds are to go
after tomatoes.
Doreen Howard

-----Original Message-----
From: Betty Mayfield <bmayfield@columbia-center.org>
To: nafex@yahoogroups.com <nafex@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Sunday, August 26, 2001 12:54 PM
Subject: Birds & tomatoes (was Re: [nafex] raspberries, netting, and birds)


>To the list:
>
>In Sam's comments on birds in regards to raspberries or other berries, I
>was interested to note the reference to birds and tomatoes. Until a week or
>so ago I had never heard of birds as a danger to tomatoes. I have never
>seen it in my own garden, nor had I heard anyone complain before. The
>complaint I heard recently involved the little cherry tomatoes. Is it
>possible that the birds attack only the small tomatoes, perhaps confusing
>them with real cherries? Does anyone have any experience with this?
>
>Betty
>(northwest Oregon)
>
>At 08:25 AM 8/26/2001 -0500, Sam wrote:
>
>>Ginda, the feeding of birds on my fall-bearing raspberries (which
>>started to ripen in July this year) is negligible.
>
><snip>
>
>>fellow gardeners have pretty well given up trying to grow blueberries
>>without netting. I suspect the same would be true for strawberries
>>and possibly cherries.  In addition, the birds have access to ripening
>>tomatoes and other vegetables in the plots.--Sam in Saint Paul, Minn.
>>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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