Growing strawberries in hanging baskets saves space and adds beauty, but ripe berries are often targeted by birds. Birds are drawn to the bright red color, pecking the ripest fruit just before harvest. Protecting this unique, exposed setup requires specific, non-harmful strategies. This article details practical methods to secure your strawberry harvest from avian visitors.
Physical Exclusion Strategies
Physical barriers are the most effective method for completely preventing birds from accessing the berries in a hanging basket. The small, contained nature of a hanging basket allows for targeted protection that is easier to manage than covering a large garden bed.
Lightweight bird netting is a standard choice, but it must be adapted for a curved basket shape. Netting with a mesh size of 15mm or smaller deters common berry-eating birds like sparrows and starlings. Drape the netting loosely over the entire basket, ensuring the edges are secured tightly around the bottom to prevent birds from sneaking underneath and getting trapped.
An alternative involves constructing a custom, lightweight cage or frame using wire or PVC hoops bent into a dome shape. This structure keeps the netting elevated above the foliage, preventing birds from stretching the material and pecking through the mesh. For small clusters of berries, fine-mesh organza or nylon fruit protection bags can be applied directly to individual bunches. These small, reusable bags allow light and air to penetrate while creating an immediate, impenetrable barrier.
Visual and Movement Deterrents
Deterrents that rely on startling or confusing birds serve as a supplementary layer of protection when combined with physical barriers. Birds are highly sensitive to sudden flashes of light and unpredictable movement, exploiting their natural wariness.
Reflective flash tape, often called bird scare tape, is a mylar material that flutters in the breeze and creates disorienting flashes of light as it rotates. Strips of this tape or old CDs can be hung from the basket’s suspension chains, creating a visual disturbance that makes the area unappealing for perching.
Fake predator decoys, such as plastic owls or snakes, can also be employed to scare away birds, though their effectiveness is temporary. Birds quickly recognize a static object as harmless, so it is important to move the decoy to a different position every few days to maintain the illusion of a patrolling threat. Brightly colored pinwheels placed near the basket provide continuous, erratic movement that deters birds from landing.
Optimizing Basket Placement
Strategic placement influences the basket’s appeal to birds, serving as a simple, non-intrusive defense measure. Birds prefer areas offering easy perching and nearby cover, so managing the basket’s context reduces vulnerability. Hanging the basket under a solid overhang, such as deep eaves or a covered porch, makes the area less accessible to birds flying overhead.
Positioning the basket near high-traffic human areas, like a frequently used doorway or walkway, can also deter birds that are naturally timid of people. Additionally, placing the basket away from dense tree canopy or large shrubs removes convenient perching spots.
Harvest the strawberries immediately once they fully ripen, as the bright red color is the primary visual cue that draws the birds to the basket.