Birds Eating Strawberries | Caterpillars off Cabbages

Two great tips sent in by a reader. Most of us who grow our own have had these problems, birds eating our strawberries and caterpillars eating our cabbages. We’ve not tried all the tips – so if you try a tip, let us know how you got on in the comments box below.

We’re always happy to get comments, tips and even full articles for the site from gardeners: just contact me or pop your tip in on the comments box below.

Stop Birds Eating Your Strawberries

How is it that no matter what netting you put up the birds will always try – and often succeed- to get to your strawberries before you do? Well here’s one extra way to stop them.

Paint a few strawberry-sized stones strawberry red and lay them just outside your netting. Make sure that in size and shape they do resemble strawberries. The birds will soon swoop down to peck them and get a real shock instead of a treat. Soon the birds will give up and leave your luscious fruits alone.

It’s the same aversion therapy that we use on egg-eating chickens where we put a pottery egg in the nestbox.

It is fun watching them pick up the stones and shaking their heads when they peck down. They sometimes do a little dance, perhaps in frustration.

With thanks to Henry for sending in this tip to stop birds eating strawberries

Getting Caterpillars off Cabbages

To get rid of caterpillars from your prize cabbages. Add a half cup of salt to your watering can. Stir well until salt dissolves and using a fine rose pour over any infested cabbages or spray with the saline solution.

Don’t worry, they won’t taste of salt when you pick them, but the caterpillars will hate the salt and fall off. Repeat as necessary.

Brassicas don’t mind a little salt and it won’t harm the soil as long as you don’t grow them in the same place every year.

With thanks to Henry for sending in this tip for getting caterpillars off cabbages

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