Bird Netting: Protect Raspberries, Blueberries & Soft Fruit During Summer
Posted on 6th August 2021 at 12:09
Bird Netting: why is it useful to protect crops in summer?
Summer is in full swing and crops are ripening - meaning there's a bird somewhere nearby eyeing up your homegrown goodies!
Pigeons, blackbirds and other species absolutely love ripe fruit and can do a great deal of damage in a very short time, so it's vital to get your edibles protected with bird netting when at their most vulnerable. In other words, when they become colourful, sweet and delicious!
What’s the best netting for blueberry bushes, raspberries & other summer fruit?
Bird netting with a 20mm diameter mesh is the best netting for blueberry bushes, raspberries, blackberries and other mid to late summer fruit. Earlier in the season it allows bees and other pollinating insects in, and later on it keeps pigeons and other hungry birds out!
We make our bird net from high grade woven PE material. Unlike the hard and brittle plastic mesh you often see at garden centres, GardenSkill bird mesh is soft and pliable, meaning you can throw it over hooped tunnels and raised beds in an instant, and making it ideal as raspberry cage netting or as protection for other fruit cage frames.
How much blueberry / raspberry cage netting do I need to protect summer fruits?
Raspberries are the usually the tallest soft fruit grown in the UK, so tend to need housing in a fruit cage around 1.8-2m high. Blueberry bushes tend to be a bit smaller though some varieties can reach 6 feet tall.
To decide how much fruit cage netting you need, measure up one side of your cage, across the top and then down the other side. This will give you the width of netting you require. Then do the same across the length of your fruit cage. Always remember to add a bit to both measurements – you’ll need extra to peg down your netting securely.
GardenSkill bird netting comes in three widths – 4m, 6m and 8m and a variety of pre-cut lengths. However, if you can’t see the exact size you want, feel free to get in touch for a bespoke netting quote (minimum order of 5m long).
Tagged as: bird mesh, blueberry bush care, fruit netting, garden netting, growing raspberries, pigeon net
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