You need to get out more Suz - out into the countryside that is :-) Red currants are little globes of ruby goodness that's the truth! Most of those in the photo came off a single bush, given to us by a wonderful elderly woman named Ira, now passed away. She used coloured threads in her garden to 'balance the health' of her vegetables and fruits and I can tell you, her garden was as vibrant as any I've ever seen!
Hi Duggy We net. I've a huge, heavy ex-salmon-farm net that covers a whole tree, but we need dozens so I've collected up all sorts, even net curtains from the second-hand clothing shop. I wrap them around and tie them on. Sometimes they birds still get in but it works pretty well. Without them, we'd lose everything. I've friends who built a netted berry house. That's the best way by far but I'm no builder! Do you grow red currants? Not many people do nowadays.
I'm curious about this bird thing. We had un-netted currants when I was growing up (red, black and white). I've had un-netted black currants in the past too and the birds didn't really go for them. Do you think it's about the ratio of birds to local food, or more that the birds know there is an abundance in your garden? Or is it the currants themselves that are more attractive than other food?
I know some places you can't pick elderberries because the birds eat them before they get ripe enough for humans, and other places the birds don't touch them at all. Never been able to figure it out. Then there's all those orchards in central that used to have fruit without nets or electronic seagull noises.
Hmmmm....I'm trying to work this out too wildcrafty. Some blackcurrants here are without nets and don't get touched either. No red currants can survive though. Wineberries all get consumed very quickly. So do elderberries. Blueberries stand no chance. Cranberies are untouched. I thought blackbirds and thrushes ate mainly worms - you know the classic image of the early bird - but I never see that these days, though they do visit my compost for a tigerworm or two. Perhaps they've moved from those to the berries?
8 comments:
Youll be de-stalking till your out of Summer
It's true! I've spent the evening getting red fingers!
Looking forward to the jam though.
Be sure to get your jar Bio!
Seriously yummy looking! Us city dwellers see nowt like that in our super-markets.
You need to get out more Suz - out into the countryside
that is :-)
Red currants are little globes of ruby goodness that's the truth!
Most of those in the photo came off a single bush, given to us by a wonderful elderly woman named Ira, now passed away. She used coloured threads in her garden to 'balance the health' of her vegetables and fruits and I can tell you, her garden was as vibrant as any I've ever seen!
How did you stop the birds getting em all
Hi Duggy
We net.
I've a huge, heavy ex-salmon-farm net that covers a whole tree, but we need dozens so I've collected up all sorts, even net curtains from the second-hand clothing shop. I wrap them around and tie them on. Sometimes they birds still get in but it works pretty well. Without them, we'd lose everything. I've friends who built a netted berry house. That's the best way by far but I'm no builder!
Do you grow red currants?
Not many people do nowadays.
I'm curious about this bird thing. We had un-netted currants when I was growing up (red, black and white). I've had un-netted black currants in the past too and the birds didn't really go for them. Do you think it's about the ratio of birds to local food, or more that the birds know there is an abundance in your garden? Or is it the currants themselves that are more attractive than other food?
I know some places you can't pick elderberries because the birds eat them before they get ripe enough for humans, and other places the birds don't touch them at all. Never been able to figure it out. Then there's all those orchards in central that used to have fruit without nets or electronic seagull noises.
Hmmmm....I'm trying to work this out too wildcrafty.
Some blackcurrants here are without nets and don't get touched either. No red currants can survive though. Wineberries all get consumed very quickly. So do elderberries. Blueberries stand no chance. Cranberies are untouched.
I thought blackbirds and thrushes ate mainly worms - you know the classic image of the early bird - but I never see that these days, though they do visit my compost for a tigerworm or two.
Perhaps they've moved from those to the berries?
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