Geese pose a threat to cultivated strawberries, a common concern for home gardeners and commercial growers alike. Geese are highly efficient grazers, meaning they are opportunistic herbivores focused on tender, low-growing vegetation. Their presence in an agricultural setting creates a conflict because a strawberry patch provides a dense, easily accessible food source. Understanding the specific nature of their feeding habits is the first step in protecting a harvest from these foragers.
The Definitive Answer: Geese and Strawberry Consumption
Geese consume strawberries, particularly the ripe fruit, but their interest extends beyond the berries. As natural grazers, they are primarily drawn to the foliage of the strawberry plant, including the leaves and runners. They graze on the leaves, which are high in fiber, especially when other grasses are scarce. Historically, some farming practices used certain breeds of geese as “weeder geese” to control grass in strawberry beds before the fruit ripens.
The ripe fruit becomes a highly attractive target due to its concentrated sugar content and bright red color. Geese typically do not swallow whole large fruits but instead use their serrated beaks to peck and tear pieces away. This behavior often results in numerous damaged, half-eaten berries left on the plant or the ground. A single goose can destroy more fruit than it fully consumes because of this distinctive pecking method.
Assessing the Impact of Geese on Strawberry Beds
The damage caused by geese extends beyond the loss of ripe berries. A more significant consequence comes from the destruction of the plant’s photosynthetic capacity. When geese graze on the leaves, they remove the necessary surface area for the plant to convert sunlight into energy, directly reducing the future yield and vigor of the strawberry plant. This foliage removal impacts the plant’s ability to produce new runners and establish daughter plants for the following season.
Physical damage to the entire bed presents another problem due to the goose’s body weight, which can range from 7 to 14 pounds. Strawberry plants are low-growing and relatively fragile, making them susceptible to crushing from trampling as the birds move through the patch. This crushing can destroy developing fruit and damage the delicate crowns, which are the growth points for future production. The volume of droppings also introduces a significant biological risk, contaminating the low-lying fruit and soil with potential pathogens.
Mitigation and Prevention Strategies
Protecting strawberries from geese requires a multi-layered approach that focuses on creating a physical or psychological barrier. The most reliable method involves installing physical exclusion barriers to prevent the birds from walking into the patch. A simple, low fence can be surprisingly effective, as geese prefer to walk rather than fly into a feeding area. Fencing constructed of mesh or wire should be at least 30 to 36 inches tall to deter them from entering the bed on foot.
Alternatively, covering the plants with bird netting that is elevated above the canopy prevents access to the fruit and protects the entire plant. Netting must be tightly secured to the ground, preventing geese from pushing underneath the edges. Visual and auditory deterrents can supplement physical barriers. Strategically placed reflective tape or mylar streamers create sudden flashes of light that can startle and repel the birds. Motion-activated sprinkler systems are also highly effective. Habitat modification, such as allowing the grass surrounding the strawberry bed to grow tall, can further discourage geese, as they prefer open areas that offer an unobstructed view of potential predators.