After all of the hard work that you have put into your grape crop, the last thing that you want to happen is to lose your grapes to pests!! The primary threats to grapes are raccoons and small birds, such as sparrows. Both of these threats can be handled by creating barriers between the pest and the fruit.
Protection from Birds
The most effective strategy to deter birds involves covering the vines entirely with netting. A sturdy framework, approximately 7 feet tall, is necessary to support the netting while allowing easy access for maintenance activities like pruning and harvesting. If existing supports are shorter, extensions can be added to increase their height.
For netting materials, suppliers like Lee Valley Tools offer suitable options. The netting should have openings no larger than ½ inch to prevent small birds from slipping through. Since netting typically comes in 12-foot-wide strips, multiple pieces may need to be sewn together to cover the entire vineyard. Alex achieved a large seamless barrier by using fishing line for the sewing.
Timing is critical; install the netting when grapes begin to ripen and change color. Unroll the netting across the vineyard, ensuring it contacts the ground on all sides to prevent birds from entering. Secure the net to the ground with landscape staples at regular intervals.
Alex installed a tall zipper on one side of the netting to facilitate easy entry for tasks like testing for ripeness, pruning, and harvesting. After harvesting, the netting can be gathered, slid over the framework, and secured with zip ties to prevent tangling and simplify storage.
Garden netting
Garden netting secured to the ground
Netting height allows access to plants
Raccoon Bandits!
Alex and the raccoons have had an ongoing battle of wits for a number of years. Often as Alex was preparing to harvest his grapes in the morning, the bandit raccoons had wiped out the crop overnight!
Alex tried:
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Motion activated sprinklers…..no help at all!
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Electrified wires around the garden….the raccoons figured out that the asphalt driveway acted as an insulator and they could climb into the garden from there
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Chicken wire on the asphalt stapled at both ends to create a solid grounding connection but the fur on the raccoons seemed to provide insulation and the shock didn’t stop them!
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Finally, the solution that worked was installing 30 inches of chicken wire with stand off insulators all around the garden. The insulators keep the wires from being grounded. Electrification was created by attaching a zapper with a volt meter to the chicken wire which can be bought at an agricultural supply store. Approximately 2000 Volts are necessary to dissuade the raccoons from entering the garden and the fence is too high for them to jump. Raccoons are nocturnal animals so the fencing only needs to be turned on in the evening and near the time that the grapes are ripe.
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The shock doesn’t hurt the pesky raccoons; just convinces them to try someone else’s garden!
The winning solution! 30" chicken wire fence with standoff insulators.