Grape vines and the Birds from Hell

Same thing happened with me (grandpa's grapes though). I put up netting and the raccoons, at night, ate them all. Is there anything we could spray (and then wash off) on them to keep the birds and critters away from them?

Hi Joel Don't worry about the birds. I have been netting for over 5 years now and have never had a bird tangled in the netting. I have been completely covering the vines top, ends and sides. Occasionally a bird (or other critter) will find a way underneath or elsewhere and have some difficulty trying to find their way out but they eventually make it without getting tangled. Snakes are another story. I have had two black snakes get tangled in the netting. Fortunately a skunk found his way out last year.

There is a commercial grower near me who does not cover the top of his vineyard. He merely hooks two approximately three foot wide panels together at the bottom along the entire row where the trunks meets the cordons with plastic "C" hooks and then fastens each side up on a trellis wire above. This leaves the very top of the row open a few inches three feet up from the trunk and cordon but he has not had any problem and claims the birds are two dumb to find their way down through the canopy from the slight opening at the top. I am going to try this technique next year. It makes for a lot easier maintenance (hedging etc) and uses less netting.

I would think you can grow some good wine in Wisconsin. Look up information on Frontenac grapes (both red and white varieties) and Traminette. I think you might have success growing these varieties where you are located. I live in Central Maryland and bought some Traminette grapes this year from a commercial grower. The grape variety has Gewurtztraminer as one of its parents and is a very delicious wine. The grower claimes it is a LOT less problem to grow than a lot of the other white varieties and is also cold hardy. I know there are some vineyards in Michigan that are starting to growing it. I belive that the Frontenac was developed for growing in cold climates such as Minnesota so you should be able to grow this as well.

Good luck with your wine growing.

Instead of netting perhaps a rigid cover such as chicken wire would be safer for the birds. You can also buy noise makers, hang streamers or a scarecrow. You might also use a scare decoy such as a plastic owl.

I'd like to try growing fruits for wines and am also worried about the birds eating the fruit.

Andrew

Birds do not get caught in the neeting - at least this has been my experience and experience of others. Chicken wire would be difficult to install and make maintenance of vineyard difficult. Noise makers, decoys, streamers etc don't work for very long. In my opinion, netting is the preferred option and not that expensive. It can be taken down and re-used multiple times. You might consider it for your fruit trees. You can buy it in 14 foot widths and can joing the panels together with plastic "C" hooks if needed.

Agree with Paul's commets. I have apx. 200 vines and net all of them. A year ago, I was late getting the netting out on the Syrah - and lost them all to the birds! So now I get the nets out right as veraison sets in, white grape varieties at the same time, and net em all. So far, nary a single bird hurt. As Paul said, if you don;t tack the nets down, or close the ends off, some birds will get in and get all frantic if you scare them up while they're in there - but they always get back out. Better to clos eit all up and prevent them getting in.

Alternatively, you can "shoot and release". Somehow though, starlings don;t fly real well after a butt full of #8 shot!

I have yet to use a net... Some years we have a problem with birds and with racoons. Starllings, robins, bluejay, and even the woodpecker.

NOW I must tell you the story of the owl. Several years back my dad bought me a plastic owl for my birthday. It stands about 8 inches tall is battery operated with a motion sensor and says "who who"

Noticing the birds in the grapes I placed the owl on the grape line post one evening and went to the Gazebo for dinner. Coming back from dinner I could hear this owl hooting like crazy.. It was laying on the ground hooting all by itself. Hmmm how did it fall off the post. I put him back up on the post and he settled down to being quiet. I went to the house and turned around just in time to see the big paliated woodpecker come diving out from the trees above our place directly on the owl. He knocked him off the post which set off the sensor and the woodpecker proceded to attack the owl by pecking at it like crazy. I was within 5 ft of this argument when the woodpecker finely relented and flew off. The owl had peckermarks in it. I gave up on this idea.

Last year we lost a lot of grapes to birds and racoons.. this year not a one. It varies from year to year here. Next year I buy a net. Both vinyards here use nets.

Marv On Saltspring Island