North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Alan Haigh" <alandhaigh@gmail.com>]

The boards a little slow right now so I thought I'd return to the subject of decoy crops and share my experience.  I have planted Illinois Everbearing mulberries in several sites over the years as much for the fruit as for a wildlife distraction.  It hasn't been much help for cherries, it couldn't be, because the cherry varieties I manage fruit earlier.  I definately want to try that brilliant fake cherry scheme mentioned earlier.

 

Anecdotally, the mulberries do seem to be helpful in distracting squirrels and I have begun promoting them from my nursery for this purpose although the fruit of this variety sells them fast enough- most people love them.  Even if you want to shoot your squirrels the  mulberry will bring them out early before they have begun stripping your green peaches and pears.  On bad years it's hard to shoot them fast enough.

 

On my site I also have several large unprotected blueberries to keep the birds and smaller mammals occupied.  Next year I'll add a couple of Elliots to this mix to extend my handouts past the season of acorn ripeness.  While the birds love my blueberries it is impossible for me to evaluate their affect on bird damage to my other fruit, however most years the damage isn't too bad (except for unnetted cherries).  The blueberries were amongst the first things I planted here so I have no before and after comparison. 

 

I watch the birds feeding on the blueberries from my living room window- the bushes pulsate with their frenzied feeding. This brings me and my family great pleasure even though I can't be sure these plants aren't luring more fruit lovers to my site.