AusBonsai

I have an issue with blackbirds ripping the moss off my bonsai. When I get home there is at least an hours work replacing moss every day and it is starting to wear a bit thin (OK, I'm cranky). So far I have tried plastic snakes - the birds stood on the snakes to get better leverage!; I tried thin black cotton (the theory being they couldn't see it and "bump" into it and it scares them away) but to no avail; and the latest today is I tried a sprinkling of black pepper on the moss (the taste should put them off) and so I will be able to report on that tomorrow. But the question is - has anyone had any success in keeping these pesky little critters off the bonsai?

Blood and Bone...You have to decide how you put it in place so not to over fertilize...They hate it...I just put it in a plastic Vegemite jar lid on the target and that's all.
Steve.

Yep dem pesky birds, I've got native minors and I wish they only took the moss little buggers dig right down into the pot looking for worms, I end up with roots pulled out and mix all over the bench My job this weekend will be fashioning some gutter guard to sit on or around my trees

Found this thread too viewtopic.php?f=30&t=19806&p=200719&hil ... ds#p200719

The orange mesh bags that some fruit and also onions comes in at the supermarket is good as well. Place it around the tree, over the surface of the soil and it will keep the birds away. They can't peck through the mesh and because it is soft they can't stand on it either.

Watto wrote:When I get home there is at least an hours work replacing moss every day

Don't bother with the moss. That is just painful.

If it is to keep the soil damp longer and protection from strong heat, just use small pebbles / rocks.

You can get netting (used to cover fruit trees to keep the birds off) - so depending where your trees are kept, you could fashion a tunnel or even a 'mosquito' netting in a balcony... Something like this even has an advert of covering a building.

Just a thought.


Cheers
Elmar

Thank you folks for your assistance. Today I have put blood and bone around and I will report on that tomorrow. The black pepper appears to be only partially successful. I do have some Scat in the shed (good for possums) and also some Possoff (also for the possums) so if today's method does not work I will try the Scat tomorrow.
Thanks again

Hi Watto I've resorted to putting bird netting around my trees , over the soil . I'm going to try the scat as well and report back on it
regards
peterb

I cut bird mesh, bent so it is raised off the surface. If need be put kebab sticks in the corners to hold them in place. Cover to and over the pot edges. Terry

I had this same issue so I got a dog, now I have two problems. Birds still scratching the moss and now a dog chewing on trees Seriously though I now grow my moss in trays in a protected area. When I'm showing a tree I put the moss on for the show then take it off afterwards and put back in the trays. No more issues with birds. Also this stops the issue of moss taking over the pot/tree and growing up the trunk.

Josh

Agree with Rory. Don't even worry about any moss unless you are showing the tree. The tree will grow better without it anyway.

The aesthetics of Bonsai is important the look of the trees each day is also pleasing and that is why I personally like moss on bonsai. When you are about to exhibit a tree it does take more that a day to get the moss to look like it belongs in the scene and so it needs to on for a good while prior to an exhibition - just a personal view.
However I can report that Steve (alias firecat) has given advice that appears to really work - thanks mate. It has been on for two days now (I sprinkled it around the bonsai houses) and there has been no issues and I am pleased.
Thanks to everyone for their help

treeman wrote:Agree with Rory. Don't even worry about any moss unless you are showing the tree. The tree will grow better without it anyway.

Yeah, it is definitely over-rated. I've never ever seen a beneficial factor from moss.

You don't need very long at all to have moss grown for showing. If you use dried moss that has been dessicated or powdered, this is the best way and sprinkled over the desired area... it wont take long at all if you keep the area damp and shaded.

Sometimes for showing - depending on the species - it even looks better if you just use a pile of the trees foliage instead of moss... this way it looks more natural and true to the tree as well. Each to their own.