Ask John Negus
How can I save blossom from the birds?
Q Bullfinches and other garden birds have stripped blossom off our trees and we have no fruit. What can I do to protect them?
Katie Parsons, Worksop, Notts
A Bullfinches tend to turn to flower buds when the seed supply runs out in winter. The best means of protecting trees and bushes is to net them against attack – but this obviously isn’t practical on large trees!
Understanding why bullfinches eat flower buds might help though, and providing them with a source of seeds might perhaps distract them from your trees. However, they are quite shy birds and may be reluctant to visit bird feeders, but if you can offer their favourite foods then it might work.
Another deterrent might be to hang shiny, noisy or flappy things in the trees. I have found dangling CDs to be quite useful at protecting soft fruit. I suppose this is the theory behind using black plastic bags as well – they fill with air, bob about and generally look like some larger life form residing in the trees.
Your trees won’t look at all attractive during this period, but whatever you do will only need to be in place for a few weeks, and if it means you get a good crop of fruit it
