Recently we hosted the annual “Cousins’ Day” . A couple of them brought simple gifts, one of which a hanging container full of strawberry plants, They look like the sort that will continuously bloom and give fruit throughout the season. Since we got the hanger, we did not have a place for it, so we simply set it out on the balcony, why not. Well, that plant flowered (and still is) and began producing fruits to our delight. The plant had no name, so we were interested to taste them. We went out to inspect and perhaps pluck the first trial strawb…HEY!! It had been eaten, ach no matter, more were on the way… or were they. The next dat more had been eaten. Action had to be taken, but what to do. The Bride came up with an unusual, but effective solution— fly covers. You know, those things that you place over food when on a picnic to keep the flies off the food. We would ned two covers, one under the plant and one above. The whole rig-a-ma-roll woyls have to be on something because one cannot balance the structure on the apex of a fly cover. A Mikro wahvay container. There is also a plastic bag the flower pot is in to keep the fly cover clean. It has been a success so far. Take a look: What do you think of this remarkable structure? Problem sorted. Merci Bride. We have not yet discovered which bird was raiding our strawbs. It sorta looks like a flying saucer— come fly away, come fly away with me…not! Those birds will not be flying away with any more of our strawds. We have successfully harvested six for brekkie this mourning. So there.
Thanks Jane, I shall pass that on. Cheers Loggie— well, we will have to see if there will be more blooms forthcoming. The strawbs in the lottie have stopped blooming and will not bloom again until next season. However, if there will be more flowers, then I will certainly remove the covers. I wish the folks had left that plant tag in the pot.
Clever idea @Sjoerd . Have to agree with Logan about future blooms though....all our Strawberries keep producing flowers all Summer so it surprised me to hear that yours have finished for the season.
Well....isn't that just the most clever invention ever. Anything to protect the strawbs! Well done Bride.
Thanks Daniel— good news to hear you are trying the strawbs. I am looking forward to seeing how they go. Well Oreti— it is because I have the types that only bloom one time per season. The doordragers are the type that go all season long. The plant on the balcony, is an unknown sort. We shall see. Mel, I will tell her.
So very attractive. I was thinking of getting strawberries but haven’t decided on a container to get them out of the way of slugs and snails. I didn’t know birds like strawberries too. Yeesh! Maybe next year then. Love, love ,love the netting. Very creative idea.
Jewell— Chuckle…yeah, the netting— well, we had to come up with something, so we worked with what we had here at home.
This is how well the protection works. This lot came from that plant on the balcony. Poor birds missed out on this load of strawbs.
Yummmm… I’m doing the same using the greenhouse shade netting to put over the grape vines. Lots of tiny lil grapes are formed to protect from those greedy birds.
