Have you been scared
of starting a grape farm in Kenya because of the potential loses that can be
caused by destructive bird? You have a reason to: birds love fruits and finding
a ripe vineyard of grapes would be Christmas to them. However, this is a simple
challenge to overcome and it must not prevent you from investing in this high
value crop. I will give you 7 methods that you can use to keep birds away from
your grapes.
How to protect grapes from birds
1. Bird Netting
This is the most reliable method, used
all over the world in most commercial grape farms. If yours is a serious,
commercial venture, then this is your method.
These bird netting is UV-treated to
ensure that it lasts for long under the tropical sun of Kenya. It is different from shade net since it has a
larger mesh of up to 20 mm. This allows for maximum sunlight to reach your
grape vines while ensuring that no bird can squeeze through the mesh.
Its
disadvantage is that it can be quite costly to install over a big farm.
2. Bagging the Bunches
Instead of covering the entire farm in
a bird net, you can choose to place paper
bags or thick nets on each grape bunch. This is very effective for small
vineyards or young farms, but can be too labour-intensive for large commercial
farms.
3. Planting Distraction Crops (Sacrificial Food)
This is very effective, especially for
new farms, where the birds haven’t yet learned about the grapes. To protect
your grapes, grow or place something the birds in your area are already
familiar with, just a short distance away from the grapes. This could be
something the birds prefer, such as:
- Sunflower
heads
- Sorghum
- Mulberries
The birds will flock around the ready
food and leave your main vineyard safe.
4. Making your Vineyard unattractive to birds
Birds love places with perches and
water. To make your grape farm unattractive to birds, trim nearby tall trees, remove
abandoned structures where they rest, and keep water sources far from your
vineyard. You can also hang metallic tins that bang against each other when
blown by the wind. These noises make birds very uncomfortable and they will
avoid your farm.
5. Sound Deterrents
There is a very interesting device that
I saw in a dragon fruit farm and thought it could work well in a grape farm
too. It is an electronic device powered by solar. It produces different sounds
like those of a dog, hawk, or eagle.
This method works best when combined
with visual deterrents, such as the flashing lights described below.
Note that birds become used to one
sound, so play different sounds at different times. Some of the electronic
sound deterrents do this automatically.
6. Reflective Scare Devices
Have you ever seen a farm where old
CDs, tapes or mirror strips have been installed? This is an effective way of
chasing birds away. Birds hate sudden flashes of light and movement. Get any of
these materials and hang them strategically in your farm, then keep changing
the position, say weekly, so that the birds do not get used to them.
7. Installing Scarecrows
I don’t mean the human-like structure
that looks funny, even though that could also work for a few days before the
birds get used to it. I mean, some “fake” predators, called decoys. These are
plastic structures made in the image of owls, hawks, kites or snakes.
Place these decoys at higher points in your
vineyard, where the birds can see them. Move the decoys to a new location every
3–4 days.
Best Practice
Combining two or three methods would
give you better results.
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