Ever had problems with sparrows?

[Animo Solv]

I'm just completing the finishing touches on a glasshouse which has some gaps under the roof that sparrows could easily enter the glasshouse through (but bigger birds probably won't be able to). I've had problems with blackbirds and thrushes pecking and pulling out small cacti, I was wondering whether anyone had ever had problems from sparrows? Not sure if it's worthwhile blocking the gaps.

[iann]

I've had more aggressive birds like Magpies and Pigeons have a go at various plants. They don't really want to eat them but either peck at them just to check, or get frustrated and peck at them anyway.

Smaller birds don't seem to mess with my plants but occasionally one gets trapped in the greenhouse and messes things up a bit. Maybe young birds that aren't so clever.

[DaveW]

I think the birds often pull seedlings out to see if there are bugs or worms underneath. I often get moss on the floor under the house gutters where the birds are turfing it out of the guttering to find insects underneath.

One thing I have had though is snails crawling up the greenhouse glass and in through the vents, so they will often crawl through gaps particularly if lower down. however I suppose that depends how wet your climate is since they will only do that when it's a wet surface.

[adetheproducer]

The only problem I get with my outside plants is slugs and snails. They have eaten new growth on my opuntia glochids and all. Also munched on my r.heliosa. birds are welcomed predators in my garden. Thinking of making my fence open so hedgehogs can get of the mountain they are good at clearing slugs away.

I would block up the holes but maybe with something that will form a vent. Let the air in but keep the nasties out.

[Animo Solv]

I always figured birds think some small cacti resemble something like an insect or a small fruit close enough to investigate but not enough to actually eat it. It seems no-one has had troubles with sparrows per se, and I think they'll be the only potentially damaging critters that'll be able to get in -- so I think I'm safe!

I don't think slugs and snails will be a problem, I made the glasshouse from scratch and decided to clad below bench height with treated pine planks, they'll have to climb over at least ca. 2m of dry wood to get to the cacti.

I'll try post some pics soon once the weather here clears if anyone wants a look.

I try to promote birds in the garden too Ade, if you're looking for slug and snail eaters, apparently ducks are great (if you've the room for 'em).

[DaveW]

My staging's are made of timber and I can assure you they got up there on occasion. I had a Lophophora "nibbled" by a snail, and it must have liked the "trip" so much it came back and had another go!

The way I got rid of it was to put a small tin lid with slug pellets on it on the crown of the plant and next day the lid was full of "mush" since they love them but sort of explode after eating them.

I have had my blue slug pellets for many years and only use in the greenhouse, but always found them effective, however no doubt were banned in the EU many years ago:-

http://www.slugoff.co.uk/killing-slugs/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Animo Solv]

Sneaky bastards! Glad to know they met their fate after such desecration I never had a S&S problem in my greenhouse, I'm hoping the glasshouse will be no different.

The only issues slugs and snails have caused me are with my dragonfruit which are growing all through the garden, the S&S's keep eating the apical meristems, then they shoot out below just to be eaten again. After much experimentation, I've found that copper wire coiled around the stems stops them completely ..the copper wire is signal wire for electronic detonators though, maybe they just realised I'm a dangerous man? :p

[DaveW]

Yes I have heard of the copper trick apparently some claim they are allergic to copper just as it is used as antifouling to keep barnacles off the bottom of boats, presumably their slime they crawl on is supposed to dissolve it. However it seems it is only effective for them if you use two separated bands one connected to the positive and the other to the negative polls of a battery so a slug/snail crossing them makes the circuit:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFn9TT_rlXU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dfN-Owedhg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[cactidan]

Copper's quite poisonous to invertebrates generally, I would think they can probably "taste" it immediately as they crawl over it and turn back. Excellent idea for stopping them btw. As for sparrows the only minor problem I had was after repotting some plants, I wasn't using a top dressing on some of them and they had a bit of a rootle in the top of the pots. No damage though and they didn't bother unless they were freshly reported.