Where did my blueberries go???

[Dawgluver]

I have two beautiful bushes, about 3 years old, and they were loaded this year. We went on vacy, came back, and the one which had ripened while we were gone was picked clean. I asked the neighbors who watched the garden how they liked the blueberries, and they asked "what blueberries?"

The other one is coming on now, but when I wait a day for the ripe ones, they are gone again! Both bushes were/are covered in bird netting. What should have been a couple quarts is now looking like a handful or so. There are still some unripened berries, I would like to protect them.

Ground squirrels? Netting-proof birds? The netting isn't ripped and doesn't look disturbed.

[betterthanabox]

Neighbors? I went on vacation and came home to a water filled basement. My neighbors told me they had a water leak and never thought to tell me. I think they were hoping it dried out before I got home.

[Dawgluver]

Originally Posted by betterthanabox

Neighbors? I went on vacation and came home to a water filled basement. My neighbors told me they had a water leak and never thought to tell me. I think they were hoping it dried out before I got home.

I have interogated all the neighbors. They were also given permission to eat the berries before we left.

Just wondering what kind of critter can get through bird netting.

[betterthanabox]

Chipmunk?

[buckytom]

if you had birds, you'd catch them in the netting. they're good at getting in, but not out.

does the net reach the ground or does it seal off the branches in any way?

[Timothy]

Look for kids with purple faces and fingers.

When I was a kid, we had a berry patch about two miles from the house. Gallons of ripe berries would get on it. My Mom would send me to gather some for pies and I would always eat one for every one I put in the bucket! When I came home, Mom would look at me and just laugh. My mouth and fingers would be purple every time!

[Dawgluver]

Originally Posted by buckytom

if you had birds, you'd catch them in the netting. they're good at getting in, but not out.

does the net reach the ground or does it seal off the branches in any way?

It isn't completely sealed. I will tie and peg it down. Critters have been well-fed around here, all my wild raspberries disappeared too, and bites and pecks were taken out of the tomatoes. The deer enjoyed the green beans and the ground squirrels are having fun digging up the remains. Life in the country.

Neighbor kids don't know we have berries...

[justplainbill]

The gray catbird is the primary berry offender in my area and they often do not wait for the berries to fully ripen. Whitetails seem partial to green beans although the cottontails enjoy the tender young bean plants..

[Dawgluver]

Originally Posted by justplainbill

The gray catbird is the primary berry offender in my area and they often do not wait for the berries to fully ripen. Whitetails seem partial to green beans.

Yes! We have a nesting pair, and my berries are disappearing before fully ripe!

When it cools down I will make sure my netting is more secure. Then I can harvest the remaining 3 berries...

My beans are in raised containers at a nice deer height, though the bunnies also do their share. Caught a doe snacking her way around the backyard hostas, they were all given crewcuts. She also enjoyed the ornamental sweet potato vines.

Thanks, Bill!

[justplainbill]

One of our neighbors has an invisible fence and shocker collar on their dog. The dog spends a lot of time outdoors in the summer and seems to minimize their problems with garden crop losses.