Bird netting

Interesting that my neighbor Nancy commented on yesterday's post.  It was Nancy who introduced me to bird netting many years ago.  Nancy was host to a cherry tree in her front yard, and to protect the cherries from the birds, she covered the tree with netting.  Nancy also taught me how to pit cherries in a sinkful of water, and my little family enjoyed a few cherry pies from her cherry tree.  Best cherry pies I've ever eaten.  Alas, I think lightening took down the cherry tree, so those pies are just a memory.

But bird netting is still with me.  It has protected my strawberry patch and my blueberry bushes from those pesky birds and prevented bats from re-entering my home.  It has put a stop to my cat thinking that my flower beds are giant litter boxes.  And now, bird netting (I hope) will stop those nasty squirrels from digging in my garden beds!

You remember my Squirrel Baffle post of February 23?  Of course you don't.  But in it, I fell in love with the miracle invention that prevented the squirrels from ascending the bird feeder and stealing the seeds that are meant for my birds.  Well, I need a new kind of baffle, and I hope I've found it in the bird netting.

I remember last fall, after the garden was spent, seeing the squirrels scampering around inside the chain link fence.  I didn't bother about them.  After all, the garden was done; what harm could they do?  Well, I think I know now.  Apparently, they were hiding their nuts in my garden beds.  And now, hungry with spring, they are redeeming their stash.

The last two mornings, I've gone out to the garden to find all kinds of holes and tracks in my raised beds!  Those little buggers can easily scoot under the gates and enter my domain (which they believe is theirs).

So today, I placed bird netting on top of the beds that I've planted -- the carrots, beets and peas.  If the little buggers want to dig up their nuts in the unplanted beds, so be it.  But DO NOT, little squirrels, dig up my planted beds!  I'll find out tomorrow morning if my bird netting baffle worked.  I don't know; those squirrels are mighty clever.  For now, I have no choice but to put my faith and love in the netting.  I will let you know if it's a love well spent.