Phoenix Tropicals Phoenix Tropicals Gardening
Connect with your neighbors to swap gardening information.

Phoenix Tropicals
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Airtags on sale at Amazon!

   Come Join The New Phoenix Tropicals Gardening Forum On Facebook

Earli Grande Peach tree - Had to put a net over it


 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Phoenix Tropicals Gardening Forum Index -> Fruit
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
phoenixtropicals
Site Admin


Joined: 06 May 2008
Posts: 1207
Location: Mesa Arizona

PostPosted: Thu May 10, 2012 8:22 am    Post subject: Earli Grande Peach tree - Had to put a net over it Reply with quote

I had already put some cd's on my peach tree but the birds were doing a significant amount of damage anyways, so I decided to net it. The net is much longer than it is wide so I wrapped it around the tree, instead of putting it over the top, and pulled through some parts in the middle and clipped them together. It would have been pretty much impossible to put a net over the tree anyways, given how tall it is and the way the net seems to catch on every twig.

I went into the house for 5 minutes and came back out and there was already a finch/sparrow caught in the net. He even had a bit of peach in his beak. I freed him and went back in the house again, came out a little while later, and what appeared to be the same bird was hopping around the tree looking for a way in. I chased him away and haven't had a bird caught in there since.

Some kind of super sparrow maybe. Not deterred by cd's and even comes back after being handled. Crazy. Anyways, the net seems to be working now.



peachTreeNet.jpg
 Description:
 Filesize:  137.05 KB
 Viewed:  12572 Time(s)

Earli Grande Peach tree - Had to put a net over it


Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
mariolo



Joined: 06 Feb 2012
Posts: 116

PostPosted: Thu May 10, 2012 8:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What about,one of these fake ows? Would they work?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Datropicalman



Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 132
Location: phx

PostPosted: Thu May 10, 2012 9:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fake owls only keep away fake birds
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Dauntless



Joined: 20 Nov 2010
Posts: 174
Location: Mesa, AZ

PostPosted: Thu May 10, 2012 12:29 pm    Post subject: netting Reply with quote

I had to resort to netting as well. My trees are still pretty small and after dealing with the tangled mess that the netting gets into, I decided to make pvc cubes and attach the netting to it. I leave one side so that I can open it up and walk in. The cubes are 7'X7'X6' tall.

I haven't caught any birds in the netting but I did catch a good sized Coachwhip snake. Unfortunately, he was dead when I found him, although, I don't know how I could have gotten him out without getting bit.
I hadn't finished trimming the bottom and ran out of daylight and he was in there by the next morning.
It seems that if the stuff is taut, they may not get tangled in it.

Since I am trying to grow my fruit trees based loosely on the Backyard Orchard Culture model, the trees won't get that tall (maybe 8 feet) and I should be able to come up with a permanent system to cover them. At least that's the plan Smile
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
myamberdog



Joined: 21 May 2011
Posts: 323
Location: palm springs, california

PostPosted: Thu May 10, 2012 9:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've had some minor beak damage on my still small peach tree, but I know the netting will have to come into play at some point. Luckily, all my fruit trees are planted in a 6 foot by 30 foot stretch, bordered by the house and a fence and two gates at each of the long ends, so I will drap maybe 3 of the nets over the whole she-bang when the day comes....

thanks, guys......MDog
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
phoenixtropicals
Site Admin


Joined: 06 May 2008
Posts: 1207
Location: Mesa Arizona

PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 4:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I try to keep my trees small too, but peaches grow really fast and I made the mistake one year of trimming it after it fruited. That meant trimming it right before summer and it almost killed it because the sun really hammered it without the extra foliage. As you can see it's getting too tall again, but this year I'll wait until its dormant to trim it.

Interesting, a coach whip snake. I haven't seen one of those before.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
phoenixtropicals
Site Admin


Joined: 06 May 2008
Posts: 1207
Location: Mesa Arizona

PostPosted: Tue May 15, 2012 11:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The peaches are peaking in ripeness right now and are really really good.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Dauntless



Joined: 20 Nov 2010
Posts: 174
Location: Mesa, AZ

PostPosted: Tue May 15, 2012 12:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have 4 different kinds of peach trees, Bonanza, Tropic Snow, Desert Gold and Red Baron. This will be the first year that I will get fruit. None of them are ripe yet and I am anxious to try them.

The Coachwhip snake is also called a Racer. They are fast. I don't see too many of those but I see a lot of gopher snakes. Needless to say, I always watch where I step and reach.

I'm not going to do the summer pruning either. I'll do most of my trimming when they are dormant and some in the fall when it cools off.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Phoenix Tropicals Gardening Forum Index -> Fruit All times are GMT - 7 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum

On sale for 24 hours at Amazon!
Bedsure Satin Pillowcase for Hair and Skin Queen.



Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group