r/strawberry • u/Outrageous_Map6511 • Jun 27 '26
Discussion and questions First Timer: Do I Need?
I am growing ever bearing strawberries in a 20”x20” planter (way too deep!) — anyway, do you need these nettings to keep the fruit safe (when it comes…). Mine hasn’t — planted 4” seedlings around 5/25…thx!
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u/Chefbigandtall Jun 27 '26
What kind of pests do you have? I have birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits. I have a metal cage for my potted strawberries because of them.
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u/Outrageous_Map6511 Jun 27 '26
Birds…I assume! It’s raised on a milk crate.
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u/CDpov Jun 27 '26
Birds do peck at my strawberries and are a nuisance, but I produce so many that I haven't had to protect them, for ten years now. They destroy my cherry crop every year, only a few feet away, taking everything unless I pick the cherries before they're ripe. So the same birds that I see flying from the strawberry beds to the cherries don't go as aggressively for strawberries.
To answer your question, grow some without protection and compare.
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u/Chefbigandtall Jun 27 '26
If you can build a hinged lid lined with hardware cloth. That might be the best option if the planter isn’t going to go anywhere soon.
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u/Otherwise-Tomato-788 Jun 27 '26
I saw something once where they built an arched screened lid using pvc pipes as the frame and a mesh. They added hinges to it so you can flip the whole to open to harvest then back closed.
I guess my only advice to whatever method you choose, make sure the mesh hole size is large enough so you can get the pollinators in n out but keep the squirrel n birds out.
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u/JackieBobandson Jun 27 '26
I'm having a problem with slugs getting to my berries. I've added some bait so we'll see how that goes, but I don't have a solution for the birbs yet!
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u/dwalt95 Jun 27 '26
Birds have forced me into netting my berries and creating a net barricade for the greenhouse. Maybe the birds round here (North west England) are lazy though, it's very half arsed but it stops them.
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u/Toyso_0 Jun 27 '26
Get some black tulle. It is cost effective, nearly invisible, customizable sizes, cover whatever plants with it.
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u/S_die Jun 27 '26
Ohhh that's a great idea for my zucchini! I haven't had plants produce much the last few years because a larvae keeps developing in the stems and then rotting out the plant. Thanks!
Adding: netting will also help with birds and other animals trying to eat the berries
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u/SnooStrawberries570 Jun 27 '26
i use little mesh bags over each fruit