By Dennis Ting – Gardenworld Nursery
Following on from my segment early this month with Rob Pelletier on 3AW’s The Big Backyard program on “Exotic Fruit and Nut Trees for Melbourne” there have been repeated requests on my new technique to keep the Cockatoos (and other birds) off my Walnut tree here in Melbourne.
As anyone who is attempting to grow a few fruit or nut trees in their own backyard the major pests are birds who will start taking the fruit and nuts before they are even remotely ripe for human consumption (and enjoyment!). The months of hard labour nurturing the crop can all be to nought if suitable prevention measures are not found.
Methods available to the home gardener include plastic Hawk/Eagle scaring devices hung over the trees (which I found worked for a short period only), spraying the trees with proprietary chemicals supposedly annoying to the birds senses (which again I found of limited value), and more effectively exclusion methods like bird netting slung over the branches or strong frames to totally exclude the birds.
I have seen some examples of where netting is used effectively as it is placed over a metal or wooden frame and kept well away from the branches of the trees (like the Cherry Growers in Tasmania). Netting draped over the trees without this framework only invites the birds to land on the netting and carefully peck through it and into the fruit which tends to be against the netting.
My Walnut tree is too large to cost effectively build a strong frame around it which would have worked well.
After many years of draping wide pieces of bird netting over the Walnut tree and trying to knit it all together with green plastic ties to form some sort of seal I decided that something better was required. This was a labour intensive method means of covering the tree and as the net was dragged over branches snags would occur resulting in damage to the tree and crop. As Walnuts carry the crop on the ends of branches these would end up against the netting and the Cockatoos would enjoy a feast slowly pecking at their pleasure!
Then try removing the netting at the end of the season after harvest when branches have started to grow through! Oh well consider it early winter pruning as branches break in all directions!
I decided to try Curtain lace material which is available from places like Spotlight. I had four strips 2.44 metres wide and 10 metres long sown together and this gave a single piece nearly 10 x 10 metres square. To install it I started on one side of the tree and used (with the help of friends) a couple of long metal poles with a tennis ball (wrapped in Velcro) attached to lift the lace material over the tree branch by branch.
What I found was that as it was a solid material it would slide over the ends of the branches easily without snagging and could be pulled from the ground to put in final position. Ideally the piece of material will completely cover the tree and be secured to the ground using garden edging stakes and strong cord. In my case it was not quite big enough so the corners were secured by tying a knot in the material in the required position and securing with cord.
On windy days the material may move but provided the wind does not get underneath and create a sail there are no major problems. Make sure that the curtain lace is not taut on windy days by loosening some of the cords as it can tear.
The advantages I have found with this technique include being a white material it camouflages the leaves and nuts below, allows plenty of light through, reduces strong winds and more importantly has reduced sun burn on hot days.
This is the first season I have tried this material but so far it appears to be stacking up well!!!
that was nice to read this blog that was really great.. great job...
Posted by: petersteel | December 17, 2009 at 05:50 PM
Just wondering how well the lace curtain went with the walnut tree? I live in Adelaide and we have many Cockatoos and other birds who always enjoy our walnuts - they then all fall the the ground in pieces and we don't even get 1! Was considering getting a net but I think now a curtain.
Posted by: Celeste | December 12, 2010 at 11:27 PM
I found that the principle behind the lace curtain worked well as it hid the walnuts from the marauding flock of cockatoos.
In previous years I had tried standard bird netting but as walnuts are carried at the top of branches the cockatoos would just land on the net and casually peck at the nuts through the netting!!!
The only downfall of curtain lace was that parts tended to tear in strong winds so I have up graded to light weight shade cloth which still hides the nuts and tree but is much better lasting.
Posted by: Dennis Ting | January 14, 2011 at 10:01 AM
i want to do walnut tree in my garden but i didn't now beforewhat your advace for the godd growing up walnut tree can you give me number or some infomations about walnut tree thanks a lot just the let me now
Posted by: gulsen | March 07, 2011 at 02:23 PM