Fruit Tree Netting A Must
Fruit tree netting will protect your investment. Fruit tree netting is necessary to receive the full reward of your fruit tree other than just watering, fertilizing and pruning with no outcome. It is important to not let your crops and trees go to the birds. Fruit trees can be grown in just about any region including temperate, sub-tropical and tropical regions. Most fruit in the United States is grown commercially in large orchards, but there are many varieties of fruit trees that are suitable for the backyard gardener.
Oranges and apples are the most widely grown fruit trees. Apples are a pome fruit that has been cultivated for centuries. 2,000 years ago apples were originated in eastern Europe and western Asia. Today, Washington, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania are the top apple producers.
In order to produce fruit, the birds need to be kept away from the ripening fruit. This is where fruit tree netting comes in. Bird netting is a much better choice than chemical sprays. Fruit tree netting is environmentally friendly and wildlife friendly.
You need to know when to cover your fruit trees with netting. This is important because they should not be covered the entire time of their growth. This could block pollinators from reaching the flowers. Just after pollination and when the fruit begins to appear in its green form is the ideal time to implement the netting. The fruit tree netting is then used to cover the tree and protect the fruit as it ripens.
There are two installation options when installing the netting. It can be draped over the fruit trees and secured around the trunk of the tree. It needs to be secured to the trunk carefully, so as not to trap any birds inside the netting. They will try and find a way in. The other way is to attaching the netting to a frame to hold it away from the tree. This will help with the birds that sit on the netting and try and reach the fruit through the mesh. Using to mesh will prevent most birds from causing damage to the edible plants.
Along with fruit tree netting, scare tactics will also reduce the nuisance birds from the area. Birds generally do not like anything shiny, and there are diverters and Mylar tape that have a shiny reflective surface that will get rid of birds by scaring them away.
Fruit tree netting and scare tactics used either commercially or in the backyard is a safe and human way to keep birds away. Many birds are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. This is one of the country's earliest environmental laws.
Even though at times our feathered friends can be a delight to watch in the back yard, make sure not to let your trees go to the birds when you have worked hard all seasons. You want to have something to show for all your hard work.