Gardeners have been hanging out CDs this month
October is a time for protecting your vegetables and fruits from birds, and one way to do this is to hang CDs in your garden(Image: Alex Evans)
Gardeners are being encouraged to hang CDs in their gardens this October. Remember CDs? Those shiny, circular objects filled with music that people used to purchase before the advent of Spotify.
Now, gardeners are repurposing their old discs, giving them a new lease of life in the garden. Of course, it doesn’t have to be a CD – an old DVD will do just as well. Any shiny disc will serve the purpose.
The reason for hanging CDs in gardens is to safeguard fruit and vegetable crops from predators such as birds. In October, the last few crops are maturing and bearing fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, as well as apple, pear and plum trees, reports the Express.
If you’ve been diligently nurturing your garden for months, the last thing you want is a pigeon or blackbird swooping in and stealing months of hard work at the eleventh hour. Despite their reputation, birds are actually frightened of CDs and won’t snatch your blackberries or peck at your onion bulbs if you line CDs along your raised beds. It’s a common belief that birds are drawn to shiny objects; indeed, magpies actively seek them out.
However, they will steer clear of an area adorned with CDs as the reflected light startles them. A gust of wind catches the CDs, causing them to reflect light randomly in different directions, which deters birds.
Gardening page Food For Trees & Africa said: “Did you know that by hanging old CDs around your food garden, you’ll startle birds with the reflecting light and keep them away from your vegetables and herbs. It’s a trick we’ve put into action at the Food & Trees for Africa food garden.
“Start by hanging the discs loosely so that the slightest breeze makes them spin and catch the sun’s rays. Every now and then, change their location around your beds to prevent the birds from getting accustomed to them.”
The discs will immediately trigger birds’ instinctive escape response, causing them to flee rapidly. Simply ensure you relocate the CDs periodically to prevent feathered visitors from becoming familiar with their positioning.
This allows you to cultivate strawberries, tomatoes and other produce without worrying about aerial raiders, whilst encouraging birds towards alternative spots like grass areas where they can hunt slugs and worms instead.
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