Would you like to know if birds get caught in garden netting? Well, we have researched this topic and have answers for you. It's vital to know if birds get caught in garden netting so you know if it's dangerous to wildlife.
Birds can get caught in garden netting that has loose sections or holes. Garden netting must be set up correctly and maintained to ensure no birds get caught.
In this article, we will learn if birds get caught in garden netting. We will also learn the answers to other interesting related questions, such as how do you correctly set up garden netting and how do you repair garden netting? Keep reading to learn more.
Do Birds Get Caught In Garden Netting?
Garden netting is designed to be safe for birds, but they can get caught for several reasons. One of the main reasons birds get caught in garden netting is loose netting.
When garden netting is loose, it creates folds that can trap birds. All sections of your net must be pulled taut and adequately secured to ensure no folds. If the netting isn't correctly secured, wind can loosen it over time.
Holes in your garden netting are another reason birds get stuck. While the holes already in garden netting are designed to be small enough to keep birds out, if new holes open up, they can be big enough for birds to get stuck.
It would be best to repair holes in your garden netting to keep it safe for birds.
It's also essential that any openings to access your plants are kept fully closed. If an access flap is left open, birds can fly inside and have trouble finding the exit.
Keep access flaps closed with construction string or paper clips to avoid having them blow open in the wind.
As long as you set up your garden netting correctly and perform regular maintenance, your garden netting won't trap any birds.
How Do You Properly Set Up Garden Netting?
To properly set up garden netting, you must follow steps that ensure a taut net with no folds or holes. Let's learn the steps to properly set up garden netting to ensure it's safe for birds.
Measure
The first set to setting up garden netting is to measure the area you plan to protect. Start by measuring the perimeter to give you the length and width you will need to build your frame.
Next, you must decide how much clearance you want above your plants. Adding a foot more height than the tallest plant you plan to grow would be best.
Now, add twice the height of your frame to its length and width to give you enough netting to cover the walls of your frame.
It's okay if you can't purchase a single piece of garden netting to cover the whole area since you can connect multiple pieces of netting with zip ties.
Assemble Frame
When it comes to building the frame, you can either use wood or PVC. Let's learn how to assemble a frame from wood and PVC.
Wood
Build a rectangular base around your garden using either 2x2 or 2x4 pieces of wood. Use wood connectors and screws to secure pieces together. Once the bottom of the frame is built, you can start making vertical supports.
Take pieces of wood as long as the height you determined earlier and connect them vertically to the base frame.
It would be best if the vertical pieces were evenly spaced along the frame. You can achieve even spacing by dividing the frame's total length into even-length sections.
Each support should be between eighteen and thirty-six inches apart. If the supports are too far apart, they can cause loose netting, which can trap birds. If the supports are too close, you will need excessive wood.
Once the verticle pieces are assembled, you can add cross-sections between them. Cut pieces of wood equal to the width between the supports and secure them with wood connectors.
Once the cross-sections are attached to the verticle supports, your frame is ready for netting.
PVC
To build the frame out of PVC, you will need half-inch PVC pipes, three-way elbows, tees, elbows, primer, and glue. You can use larger-diameter piping for a more sturdy frame, but it will increase pricing.
Take your PVC pipes and lay them around the perimeter of your garden. Cut the pipes to match the length and width of your garden.
Now connect the corners of the pipes using three-way elbows. Ensure that the three-way elbows connect to the pipes so that the third connection points up.
To connect the pipes to the elbows, coat the pipe's last inch and the inside of the elbow with primer. Allow the primer to dry for sixty seconds before applying the glue. Apply the glue and quickly slide the pipe into the elbow.
The glue reacts with the primer and partially melts the PVC piping making a permanent connection in seconds. Not all PVC glues and primers are the highest quality, so here are two of the best available on Amazon.
Christy's Red Hot Blue Glue and Purple Primer
You can find this product here on Amazon.
Oatey Handy Pack
You can find this product here on Amazon.
Once the corners are connected, you can begin building the verticle sections.
Divide the frame into equal-length sections between eighteen and thirty-six inches and where each support will go, cut out an inch of piping and glue in a tee pointed up. From each of these tees, you can attach your verticle supports.
On top of the verticle supports, glue an elbow facing the adjacent support. Once these elbows are secure, glue a pipe between each verticle support. Once all the verticle supports are connected, your frame is ready for netting.
Secure Netting
Acquire a garden netting equal to twice the height of your frame added to its width and length, you can drape the netting over your frame and secure it with zip ties. Using a wooded frame, you could also use staples to secure your net.
This method will leave excess flaps of netting on the corners that should be trimmed away. If you can't find a piece of netting large enough to cover your entire garden, you must assemble it yourself.
Start by attaching a section of netting to your frame with zip ties. Next, attach another section to your frame so it slightly overlaps the first. Use zip ties to secure the seam between these two pieces of netting.
Keep adding sections of netting and sealing the seams until you have fully covered your frame.
Adding Access Panel
You will now need to add an access panel to plant, weed, and harvest from your garden. Whether you need an access panel for someone to walk through or a small opening to reach into, you can build it the same way.
Make your access panel by cutting two vertical slits in your garden netting and cutting a connection between them at the bottom. These cuts will produce a hatch that can swing open and closed.
It's essential for birds' safety that the hatch is only open when you are using it. You can secure the hatch using either looped constructing string around its bottom or paper clips. Both of these solutions will keep the hatch closed and the birds safe.
How Do You Repair Garden Netting?
If a hole begins to open in your garden netting, it must be repaired quickly before it harms any birds. One of the fastest ways to repair garden netting is zip ties.
Use the zip ties like stitches to sew up the hole. A small hole may only need one zip tie, while larger rips may take several.
If the tear is massive, securing a patch of netting over it with zip ties may be best. If the garden netting is full of holes throughout, it would be best to remove and replace it.
Garden netting can also start to sag over time, creating dangerous folds for birds. You should take loose netting and secure it tightly back to the frame. Keeping up on your garden netting's maintenance is essential to keep it bird-friendly.
What Are Alternatives To Garden Netting?
While garden netting can be safe for birds when adequately installed and maintained, it can be a lot of work. Let's look at a couple of much easier-to-install alternatives.
Reflective Pinwheels
Reflective pinwheels scare away birds by startling them with bright flashes. These pinwheels can be easily installed in your garden and keep birds away.
Reflective pinwheels will be less effective in areas with little to no wind.
Sound Machines
Sound machines are another practical method to keep birds away. These sound machines play the sounds of predatory birds, which will keep the birds out.
Predatory Decoy
You can also install a predatory decoy. These fake birds can intimidate other birds and keep your garden safe.
Over time birds may learn that these decoys aren't alive, so it can be helpful to move them frequently and pair them with other garden netting alternatives like sound machines.
Final Thoughts
In this article, we learned birds can get caught in garden netting if it isn't properly secured and maintained. We also learned how to install garden netting properly.
Remember, keep up regular maintenance on your garden netting to keep it bird-friendly.
We hope you enjoyed this article. If you want to learn more, check out some of these other articles.