Although grapevines are hardy, they’re a large time commitment for home gardeners, since it requires two to three years for the vines to start bearing fruit. The plants also require extensive pruning each spring. After all that attention and love, it would be awful to see wildlife consume your grape harvest before you had a chance to get a taste. Covering your Eyes with nets since the grape bunches develop may keep a few of the insects from invading your own harvest.
The Problem
Birds can decimate your grape crop before the grapes have also ended ripening. Many varieties and sizes of birds may flock to your own grapevine and chow down on your grape bunches. Once your grapes start getting a small amount of color, the birds smell the developing sweetness and swoop in for a meal — especially when their infants are getting ready to leave the nest and need more food. Scare procedures, like placing a fake owl on or close to the vine, usually only works for a brief moment. The birds become accustomed to this scare tactic and begin to ignore it quickly.
When to Web
The very best time to net your grapes is soon after the bunches grow, which is usually in mid-spring. Some grape varieties begin to ripen near the end of August, meaning the grapes are large and colorful in the early summer; grapes develop their color several weeks before they are fully ripe. You must mesh your grapes before the birds find them — before the bunches start getting soft or their final color — or you may have a determined group of avians seeking out any weakness from the net. They can even fly up under the bottom of the net if it’s not fully secured. Keep the net on at all times till you are ready to harvest the grapes.
The best way to Net
Although netting your strawberries ancient means you must get rid of the net to check on the grapes, it’s the best choice to keep the birds off. Lay the net over the whole vine, then wrap it under the trellis and shut the bottom of the net by tying it up with garden twine. You will need to tie it in several places to be certain that there’s no opening under the vine; hungry birds may squeeze through even small openings. Tie the net to the back or trellis, if needed, to make sure it’s completely closed on the underside.
Netting Considerations
Grapes grow and ripen best in full sunlight, so the widest net of net is greatest. But smaller birds may fit their small beaks through wide mesh, while larger birds like crows may not be able to. Pay attention to what type and size of bird will frequent your yard to assist you discover the right mesh size. There are many colors of netting to pick from, including white, black and green. White tends to reflect light and assist the grapes ripen, and the flapping results of their white net are easy for birds to see and may help frighten them off. White is generally a woven net that’s soft and easy to deal with. Black, on the other hand, is often a stiffer plastic with small filaments that can stick out and cut your hand while you work with it. Bear in mind that squirrels and raccoons can rip through softer nets and create holes that allow birds in as well, therefore stiffer black netting may be simpler for you when these insects are a problem for you.
