Soft fruits, such as raspberries, strawberries, and grapes, are some of the best summer crops. And if you're growing them yourself, the last thing you want is for an uninvited visitor to help themselves while your back is turned. Birds and other wildlife can make a beeline for these delicious treats – and insects can be a pain, too.
The good news is, there are a few effective pest control methods that will help keep interlopers away, allowing your fruits to ripen in peace. With these in place, you're more likely to be rewarded with a bumper crop once it's time to pick, making it well worth the effort.
I turned to gardening experts for their advice. Below, you'll find their suggested methods to try, including tips on timing.
Physical barriers
'Physical barriers are our greatest defense,' says Kiera Faulkner Jekos, garden designer and educator at Gardenwell.
She recommends using wildlife-safe netting, which is a mesh material with holes no larger than 5mm by 5mm, to prevent injury to birds and small mammals while still protecting your soft fruit.
'Be sure to secure it over a frame or hoops so that it doesn't drape on plants. This prevents tangling and makes harvesting easier.'
Keep in mind that strawberries and raspberries are prone to mold in humid weather, as Kiera points out. 'To reduce the risk of rot and other issues, ensure any cover allows ventilation and any mesh is removed during wet spells or after the fruit has been harvested,' she advises.
Just remember to ensure there are no gaps in the netting or on the ground, as notes David Mizejewski, a naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation and author of Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife (available from Amazon). This is because small birds can become trapped inside if there are openings, which can be distressing for both them and you, he warns.
A final method for creating a physical barrier is to install individual bags around the crops. 'For larger fruits that grow in clusters, such as grapes, or individual larger fruits like peaches and plums, bagging can be a tedious but very effective technique,' says Amy Enfield, senior horticulturist at ScottsMiracle-Gro.
'Small mesh bags, often made of nylon or organza, can be placed over individual clusters or fruits and tied securely at the stem.' These offer targeted protection from birds and many insect pests, such as Japanese beetles and some fruit flies, she explains.
