Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
ABOVE:
Wire mesh guards prevent rodents and rabbits from damaging
tree trunks.
Good sanitation.
Remove all plant debris in and around the orchard and
compost, burn, or bury it. Don't keep brush piles or piles of wood or other
materials. Harvest ripe fruits promptly. In barns and sheds, keep seeds and
other plant materials that are attractive to rodents in sealed, plastic contain-
ers.
Cats and dogs.
Cats and terrier-breed dogs have well-earned reputations as
mousers and can also aid in managing gopher populations in small orchards.
Consider keeping several neutered or spayed cats and dogs in your orchard.
Raptors and owls.
Install raptor and owl perches and owl nesting boxes in
and around your orchard. Providing habitat for these predators will help
manage mammal and bird pests.
Birds
Insect-eating birds are great beneficials. Some birds, however, can damage
large amounts of fruit, often taking only a few pecks at a fruit but rendering
it unfit for consumption. Bird damage is usually most serious in small orchar-
ds, where a few birds can destroy a relatively large percentage of the fruit. In
large orchards, there is simply too much fruit for the birds to damage more
than a very small percentage. As with deer, visual scare devices and noise-
makers (including bird distress calls) work only for a very short time.
Site selection.
If possible, avoid planting your orchard near woodlots that
provide nesting and perching areas for birds.
Bird netting.
For small orchards, install fine mesh bird netting over the trees
and bushes. Put out the netting just before the fruits ripen, and keep the net-
ting taut to prevent birds from becoming entangled. Mount the net so that it
