Ripe/ripening berries #1-3 were eaten by the birds. I put netting up to deter more birds.
I couldn't eat ripe berry #4 after finding a slug on it.
I came home today intending to eat ripe berry #5...
Argh!!! Who did this?! And how can I stop them from doing it again?Help!
10 comments:
slugs of pill bugs. crushed egg shells helps witht the slugs. Pill bugs are a royal pain and I don't know how to get rid of them.
You know who strips my strawberries just before they come ripe? SQUIRRELS! And they are not at all deterred by netting, chicken wire, or anything else I've come up with. Finally I've moved all my strawberries to pots, and then I just move the pots into the house just before they ripen!
I have lots of slugs....when I don't use slugbait. Not sure of the safety with slugbait on crops. You could always set out beer. They are not fun!
Ick!!! Hope you get it figured out so you can enjoy some of your strawberries.
Debbi- I'm going to put out some beer in case it's slugs. I have seen some roly polys in that bed, but it never occurred to me they could be causing the damage. Hmm...
Heather - thanks for visiting my blog! I have a terrible time with squirrels digging up and/or eating plants in my yard, so it very well could be them!
Janet - I'm going to set out some beer. It's usually dry and hot here so we don't have many slugs - this wet spring has brought them on in full force! Yuck!
Susie - isn't it gross?! I may be too late to save the early-bearers this year, but there are a few late-bearers/ever-bearers that I have hope to harvest from once this problem is resolved.
It is so disappointing to wait for a harvest, and have a natural critter get it first. If it is slugs--good luck. Never heard of pillbugs eating them--Birds, chipmunks, and squirrels--Bah to them. Netting and noisy clanking garden ornaments help with them.
hmmmm......could you maybe rig something up with chicken wire. Holes small enough for squirrels, birds not to get through and then line the exterior with eggs shells and slug bait. It may be a big area to cover, but worth a shot. You could form the wire in the shape of your bed, then cut another piece to form the top, and tie it together with draw tites. Make sense? I would hope that would work
I like slugs
Prof. Slughorn - LOL
mlc - I need to get some noisy clanky garden ornaments stat!
Dirt Princess - great advice, thanks! next year I am definitely going to build (well I mean have Scott build) "cages" around the strawberry and blueberry beds. that netting I got is kind of a joke unless it's propped up away from the plants somehow.
Prairie Chicken - you must be a Harry Potter fan like I am. Did you guess Prof. Slughorn is the same person as Smeagol?? (My husband!)
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