Geese

[TomatoDon]

I have 47 nice plants in ten raised beds this year. I have not lost a single plant, and until about three weeks ago I considered this my best tomato crop ever. Everything was going right, but then I noticed that I was getting very short on actual fruit.

My tomato garden is by a lake and this year I had my best goose crop ever too. Now I have 27 geese that are obviously grocery shopping up and down my rows of tomatoes. They are nipping off leaves, buds, blossoms, small fruit and large fruit. I can't actually catch them in the act, but when I drive up I see 27 geese scurrying away from the bank in the lake, and paddling fast. All the signs of heavy goose activity is all throughout the garden.

I know most of the basic stuff to try and recently put up some bird netting. I considered a pulsating electric wire (fence) like cattle farmers sometimes use, but I prefer not to do this. I also prefer not to put up a permanent fence. Plus, being geese, they could hope or fly over the fence and continue eating.

I don't want to do anything to hurt the geese or my songbirds. I just want to keep the geese out of the tomato patch. And I don't mind sharing a few tomatoes, but they are wiping me out.

Other than bird netting, is there anything else I can do? Are there any predator decoys that geese fear? Is an old fashioned scrarecrow about as good as anything? What about shiney pie plates tied to strings and placed around the garden? I thought I would try that today. Is there some kind of motion detector that will sound an alarm or turn on a sprinkler system?

I'm sure several people here at T'ville live around water and geese. I'd like to hear some ideas of what people do to keep the geese out.

Thanks!

Don

[recruiterg]

I read somewhere that you can use a plastic crocodile and put it in the water near the water's edge. The geese will see the crocodile and stay away from the shoreline. I think the article I read was about a guy in Minnesota who did this, and obviously, there are no crocodiles in Minnesota (except at the zoo). I think you can also place a line about 12-18 inches high around the garden and the geese won't jump over it and they won't go under it. (I don't think this method works 100%, but that is what many people say works)

[TomatoDon]

Believe it or not...I do have a concrete crocodile! I don't have it where the geese can see it, but I will move it so they can.

And thanks for the idea about the string. I will try that. One of my rules is, if it's not dangerous or expensive and has a chance of doing a lot of good with very little chance of doing harm, then try it. I have an old roll of baling twine from the old farming days that probably has 1,000 feet left on it. Plus I have a lot of white nylon cord, and some orange surveyor tape that might flutter in the breeze and scare them away.

Thanks for two safe and good ideas.

Don

[nicky]

Originally Posted by TomatoDon

Thanks for two safe and good ideas.
Don

Safe as long as you aren't a clutz like me! Don't trip on the string!!!

[jenniedhs]

At Tractor Supply they have a very low volt battery operated electric fence kit that I installed around my tomato garden to keep out rabbits, squirrels, etc. that were eating all my tomatoes! The store clerk assured me that it would not harm the small animals, just give them an unpleasant zap. Contains poles about 3 foot high that you string the wire through at various heights. Very easy to put up. It really helped. Seems it would work great on geese. They sell rubber snakes online that might help also. The website is fakerubbersnakes.com!
Jennie

[Gobig_or_Gohome_toms]

I had seen a news article about cities using wolf cut outs in Minnesota to keep geese off the beach. Did not find the Minnesota story but here is a New York article:
http://www.adirondackdailyenterprise...6&showlayout=0

Craig

[platys]

There are some Chicago suburbs that hire Swans. Once the swans have babies, the swans get very territorial and scare off the Geese. I don't know if Swans eat tomatoes though, but they are pretty!

[TomatoDon]

It's too late to hatch out swans this year, but I'll remember it for next year. I might can then get some aggressive shore rabbits to scare off the swans, and maybe a rabbit dog to scare off the rabbits. But I'd have to find a way to keep the dog from leaving and how to feed it year round.

[aero83]

careful with that concrete gator, lol
http://www.kmbc.com/news/28107951/detail.html

[TomatoDon]

I saw that the other day! lol

[TomatoDon]

Here is the best thing I have tried that seems to work reliably. I bought bird netting and made a temp fence all the way around the garden. I took 3/8 concrete rebar five feet long and put a taller 1 inch PVC pipe over it. They stand about 7 fet tall. The bird netting is 14 x 45, but it is so thin and hard to see that I haven't been able to cut it straight, and in half, to double the usable length. I later found some 3 foot plastic mesh fencing that is around $10 for 50 feet. I put some of that up today and I have high hopes the shorter plastic fencing will work.
Tomorrow I hope to add some orange flagging around the top, and if I can find inexpensive windmills or bells I'll put them up too.
So far so good. Those 27 geese have wiped out my crop 100% so far. I haven't picked one ripe tomato, and I have 47 plants and I believe around 15 varieties. I have done pretty well keeping the geese out this week, and believe it or not the tomatos are making a good come back. NOW I'm starting to see green fruit in different sizes and some larger ones actually turning colors.
I'll keep you posted. If anyone can advise me how to accurately cut 14 x 45 thin and barely visible bird netting into TWO 7 x 45 pieces I'd appreciate hearing it. Would cut my cost in half if I have to do this again. I've tried getting on one line and following it all the way, but this stuff is so hard to see I can't make a straight cut.
Thanks!
DS

[cloz]

Originally Posted by TomatoDon

If anyone can advise me how to accurately cut 14 x 45 thin and barely visible bird netting into TWO 7 x 45 pieces I'd appreciate hearing it. Would cut my cost in half if I have to do this again. I've tried getting on one line and following it all the way, but this stuff is so hard to see I can't make a straight cut.
Thanks!
DS

Lay the netting out flat on the ground. Measure in 7' from the edge at one end and place a stake in the ground there. At the other end you do the same. Now stretch a string between the 2 stakes and cut along the string using it as a straight edge. It won't be perfect but it will do for your purposes.

[TomatoDon]

This morning all 27 geese were near the tomato patch but not in it. A few walked up and down the edge by the fencing. They looked puzzled but never made an attempt to get in. So far the fencing is working.
I also scattered a good bit of corn on the other side of the lake near a fish feeder where they sometimes hang out. I'm hoping the corn will prove more appealing than tomatoes.
I'm seeing an improvement in the tomato patch already. At least now I'm seeing some baby tomatoes that aren't getting nibbled off as fast as they form.
So far so good.
DS
Thanks for the tip about cutting the fabric!