Please frighten the birds. Photograph: Howard Sooley
I'm beginning to wonder if I may have unfairly maligned the slugs and sails (let alone launched a murder spree with a body count that wouldn't have shamed a US peacekeeping mission).
You see, I have had this week off work and have been hitting the allotment early and every time I have turned the corner to come onto the plot have seen two or three fat wood pigeons rise up like a Harrier Jump Jets in a strong breeze, so gorged are they on our cabbages and kales. Now I am sort of happy that they have found a good source of vitamin C and fibre (I imagine it is difficult for urban wood pigeons), but it has to stop. We need some scarecrows.
First thing I did was to hang a hawk kite I bought in China earlier in the year in a hazel branch and set it to guarding the brassicas... speaking of which, the week has seen an explosion of beautiful butterflies and moths of every colour: red admirals, fratilliaries, some gorgeous little blues, but (and here 'proper' gardeners will have to hold their breath in disgust) perhaps the loveliest is the cabbage white which dances in the air and is probably now laying plans to be the next pestilence on our long-suffering plants. Anyway, back to bird scarers. I next drew large cats eyes on some CDs and hung them off hazel branches. I liked the shards of rainbow-blue lights they cast in the evening breeze, but hated the way they looked the next morning (not 'organic' enough!). So they have since gone back in their boxes. Weather permitting, we have some small kids coming up today so might experiment with bunting. But as always the plan here is to ask all you experienced growers out there for your advice. What works best for you? And, children and schools especially, please sendpictures and plans of your scarecrows and we will give the best a beehive compost bin from Wiggly Wigglers.
Of course the other purpose of this post to (sort of) apologise to the snails. Oddly, my most successful neighbour (you should see his sea of potatoes (of which more in another post, but for now it seems we don't have blight, the spotting appears only on old leaves not new)) said something mysterious the other day about only having to put up with slugs for another few weeks because they then disappear? Is this right? Has anyone else ever heard of this... or is it another false dawn?
Anyway we are now off to join in the four-day sprayings to 'celebrate St John's and help heal the earth'. Will report back.
Happy summer solstice everyone
