I just harvested 2 decent cucumbers but noticed there were no others developing on the vine -- no blossoms either. Vines are very healthy. Then I noticed plucked blossoms on the ground. I image it's the same bird/birds that have been attacking yellow rose buds and eating my nasturtium seedlings! So I covered the cucumber patch with bird netting and will hope for the best. Has anyone else had problems with birds eating on their plants? This is particularly aggravating since I spend a small fortune on birdseed!
Edited to say that my garden area is fenced in and is rabbit-free.
This message was edited Jul 8, 2007 1:12 AM
Birds have been eating my cucumber blossoms!
That is awful for you. We have a lot of birds in are yard because like you we feed them but haven't had any problems yet with them eating the blooms. I hope they don't start eating them.
Yes, I've never had this problem before. After placing the netting over the cucumber patch I began to notice nice yellow blossoms. So I think I caught this just in time. In the flowerbed closest to the feeders birds have been sampling the coneflower buds. You'd think they'd at least give them a chance to bloom first!
That's very strange. Are you having a drought there? I have no problem with birds when I keep clean water baths out for them to drink (and bathe in).
Hi Zeppy, we've had intermittent dry spells here, with 90-ish degree temps, to the point where I was having to water a lot of things daily.
Most of the cicadas in my area were eaten by birds. So I was wondering if that may have had some sort of impact. But your mentioning drought makes a lot of sense and is very likely the cause. I'm thinking that grackles may have been the culprits. They tend to stay away from the birdbaths in my yard.
I have always had problems with birds. I love them but they are aggravating. Last year they ate almost all my strawberries and picked off half of my swing canopy for their nests, make holes in my siding (the flicker do) and eat all my sunflower seeds that I planted. So it is nothing new for me. Last November we adopted a new dog, who has in the last two months, killed two birds and ate one of them, the other she brought inside just for us. The word has been spread to the other birds our because I rarely see birds in my yard anymore, which is good for them because I really don't want her killing them - I love them.
The dog now patrols the strawberries, however we still don't get many strawberries because now SHE eats them all!
This is Border the Bird Killer. She may look sweet and wonderful but the birds know her now.
Border looks very sweet. I have had success at covering my strawberries with nylon bird netting while they are ripening. I also keep the blueberry bushes covered. And now -- the cucumbers! What next!
What kind of dog is Border? I haven't had much problem with most birds but deer, crow, turkey and racoon like my garden. A dog might be just what I need.
She looks like a mix of Pit Bull, Border Collie (guess based on the name), Greyhound (her back end looks like a racing dog), Wolf (very large ears) and alien....
Jeff
She's a full blooded greyhound - a feisty one. She ran 141 races and won about 1/3 of them. We adopted her when she was retired. And, for a greyhound, an alien. We have two other greyhounds and she's the only one who eats birds!
Hmm, how do I put this delicately...
She's conning you. That's not all greyhound. For one thing. She weighs too much (sorry if that's indelicate). For another, oh my god, she has huge ears. Lastly, greyhounds don't hunt, ever. It's natural for a child to lie about it's parents.
Well, other than the alien ears, she SEEMS like a greyhound, albeit, she's been off the track for about a year and has gained some weight.....
"That's not all greyhound."
I'd have to disagree, looks like a Greyhound to me.
" For one thing. She weighs too much (sorry if that's indelicate). "
She's retired. It happens to lots of us. Hmmph.:) But, more to the point; "There are two standards of Greyhound: the AKC and the NGA. The AKC, or American Kennel Club, greyhound is the epitome of the long, lean, graceful animal. These dogs are raised for show and they are the ones you will see in dog shows such as the Eukanuba Cup (shown on Animal Planet). The NGA, or National Greyhound Association, greyhound is the athlete bred for racing. They are usually not as lithe as their AKC counterparts, but they look greyhound all the same. A common mistake people make is assuming that all greyhounds are grey! In fact, grey, or "blue" as they are called, is the least common color for a greyhound. The most common colors are black, fawn (tan) and brindle or particolors of these 3 colors."
"For another, oh my god, she has huge ears."
Okay, the AKC standard is for "rose" ears, but Greys can be born with prick ears as well, and this is a working Grey, not a show dog. Racing Greyhounds (NGA) can still be cross registered with AKC, at least for now. There is talk about splitting the breed into working and non-working.
"Lastly, greyhounds don't hunt, ever."
Uhh, they were bred to hunt. They're sighthounds, coursers. That's how they get them to run, with a little bunny type lure that goes around the track. Greyhound people are very careful not to place them in homes with other animals unless they have been well tested. Anything that runs from them is subject to sudden death.
"It's natural for a child to lie about it's parents."
Now that I agree with :)
Margo
Ok, ok so maybe she really is a greyhound. She's definetly very cool looking. Maybe a little alien in her somewhere...
"Anything that runs from them is subject to sudden death."
I have two cats that have learned not to run. They get along great but if they run, the greyhounds will run after them. But the leaves, bugs, flies and (sorry) birds aren't so smart and they get pounced on all the time!
and she does lie, "No mom, I didn't eat all your strawberries, the birds did it!".
figaro,
Are you sure it's not the squirrels eating your blossoms? I get squirrels that eat my sunflowers!
Mobi, it's the birds. The squirrels are after your sunflower seeds. I just read in the current issue of "Birds and Blooms" that birds eat flowers. No kidding! They're also eating the purple coneflowers and the black-eyed susans -- while they're still in bud form!
I had to pull back the bird netting from the cucumber vines last night because the vines were trying to grow through it. I've rigged a "scarecrow" of sorts. Hopefully that will help. In the meantime I harvested one more cucumber!
I think I'll go watch Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds"!
Well, you are just going to have to get a greyhound!