Every year I have planted onion sets in my modest vegetable plot, and
before they have had time to get established several of them are lifted,
by birds (presumably).The sets are left lying on the ground.Why do birds
do this ? This year,for the first time, I have covered the sets with
fleece, which will remain place until the onions are well established;
but I would still like to know the reason for this strange behaviour.

sam wrote:
Every year I have planted onion sets in my modest vegetable plot,
and
before they have had time to get established several of them are
lifted, by birds (presumably).The sets are left lying on the
ground.Why do birds do this ? This year,for the first time, I have
covered the sets with fleece, which will remain place until the
onions are well established; but I would still like to know the
reason for this strange behaviour.

Don't foraging birds look under anything they can move, not just
onion sets?

--
Mike.

"sam" wrote
Every year I have planted onion sets in my modest vegetable plot, and
before they have had time to get established several of them are lifted,
by birds (presumably).The sets are left lying on the ground.Why do birds
do this ? This year,for the first time, I have covered the sets with
fleece, which will remain place until the onions are well established; but
I would still like to know the reason for this strange behaviour.

Just hang some old Cd-roms over the sets and the birds will leave them
alone. They obviously don't like the flashes.
Use a cane pushed in to the ground at an angle and tie string on the top end
like a fishing rod and the Cd on the end of the string so the wind moves it.
Works for us.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

"sam" wrote in message
...
Every year I have planted onion sets in my modest vegetable plot, and
before they have had time to get established several of them are lifted,
by birds (presumably).The sets are left lying on the ground.Why do birds
do this ? This year,for the first time, I have covered the sets with
fleece, which will remain place until the onions are well established;
but I would still like to know the reason for this strange behaviour.
_________________________________
Not really strange behaviour. Many birds are still making nests and
are looking for straw-like materials-- similar to the tops of the sets! I
always cut any surplus straw off the sets or plant just a little deeper, so
nothing is obvious. Actually I probably do both -- just to be sure. The
greater depth causes no problems.
Best Wishes Brian.

On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 22:44:01 +0100, sam wrote:

Every year I have planted onion sets in my modest vegetable plot, and
before they have had time to get established several of them are lifted,
by birds (presumably).The sets are left lying on the ground.Why do birds
do this ? This year,for the first time, I have covered the sets with
fleece, which will remain place until the onions are well established;
but I would still like to know the reason for this strange behaviour.

I learned a good tip from GQT (Bob Flowerdew I expect) which I have
tried this year, it seems with good effect.
I planted the sets in little ridges of soil and now they have rooted I
shall gradually move the earth away from them, or let the weather do
it, so the sets are exposed. I've had none lifted by birds using this
method.

Pam in Bristol

Pam Moore wrote:
On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 22:44:01 +0100, sam wrote:


Every year I have planted onion sets in my modest vegetable plot, and
before they have had time to get established several of them are lifted,
by birds (presumably).The sets are left lying on the ground.Why do birds
do this ? This year,for the first time, I have covered the sets with
fleece, which will remain place until the onions are well established;
but I would still like to know the reason for this strange behaviour.


I learned a good tip from GQT (Bob Flowerdew I expect) which I have
tried this year, it seems with good effect.
I planted the sets in little ridges of soil and now they have rooted I
shall gradually move the earth away from them, or let the weather do
it, so the sets are exposed. I've had none lifted by birds using this
method.

Pam in Bristol
I also thought birds lifted them, last year I netted the onions, and
garlic, there were still odd ones lifted. I'm wondering if the action
of root growth does it.

On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 17:18:23 +0100, Broadback
wrote:


I also thought birds lifted them, last year I netted the onions, and
garlic, there were still odd ones lifted. I'm wondering if the action
of root growth does it.

Yes it does but it doesn't scatter them far and wide. I've never
caught anything redhanded, I was always doubtful about birds because
our cages keeep out all but the small birds so I've been tending to
think in terms of voles -perhaps young males - it's spring after
all;~))
On the other hand Brian's hypothesis is quite persuasive - I'll try
and watch more closely next year.

=================================================

Rod

Weed my email address to reply.
http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html

On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 17:18:23 +0100, Broadback
wrote:

I also thought birds lifted them, last year I netted the onions, and
garlic, there were still odd ones lifted. I'm wondering if the action
of root growth does it.
Yes, it is partly root growth which pushes the sets up out of the soil
if they are pressed in hard when planting. They then rest on a hard
patch of soil which resists the roots going down.
As regards garlic, you should not get the problem as garlic should be
planted about 2 inches deep, and not on the surface as onions are.

Pam in Bristol

Just hang some old Cd-roms over the sets and the birds will leave
them
alone. They obviously don't like the flashes.
Use a cane pushed in to the ground at an angle and tie string on the
top end
like a fishing rod and the Cd on the end of the string so the wind
moves it.
Works for us.

Yes but they make a hell of a grinding noise when you put them back
into the CD player :-|

I have had a few sets moved too,never seen any birds.So could it be mice? I
suppose the birds get up earlier than me ,so could well be them.Its no real
heart ache to re plant them though,unless they do them all!

--
Thanks Keith,Nottingham,England,UK.
"Pam Moore" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 17:18:23 +0100, Broadback
wrote:

I also thought birds lifted them, last year I netted the onions, and
garlic, there were still odd ones lifted. I'm wondering if the action
of root growth does it.
Yes, it is partly root growth which pushes the sets up out of the soil
if they are pressed in hard when planting. They then rest on a hard
patch of soil which resists the roots going down.
As regards garlic, you should not get the problem as garlic should be
planted about 2 inches deep, and not on the surface as onions are.

Pam in Bristol

On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 22:44:01 +0100, sam wrote:

Every year I have planted onion sets in my modest vegetable plot, and
before they have had time to get established several of them are lifted,
by birds (presumably).The sets are left lying on the ground.Why do birds
do this ? This year,for the first time, I have covered the sets with
fleece, which will remain place until the onions are well established;
but I would still like to know the reason for this strange behaviour.
I always start mine of in modules and plant out with a trowel when the
leafs are abouit 3" . Firm them in and they never get pulled out till
I'm ready to do that job. I also use old bakers trays to lay them out
for drying.
Neil

On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 22:44:01 +0100, sam wrote:

Every year I have planted onion sets in my modest vegetable plot, and
before they have had time to get established several of them are lifted,
by birds (presumably).The sets are left lying on the ground.Why do birds
do this ? This year,for the first time, I have covered the sets with
fleece, which will remain place until the onions are well established;
but I would still like to know the reason for this strange behaviour.

I've tried covering my onion sets with fleece this year, too. I took it off
this afternoon and guess what? Some of them had been pulled out of the
ground!

Not just pulled out, but stacked neatly in groups of three to five. None of
the pulled-out sets have roots, so they must have been pulled within a few
days of planting (two weeks ago).

As it couldn't have been birds, I think mice must be to blame. But why would
they do this? The sets haven't been eaten (I've re-planted them) so they
weren't collecting them for food.

--
Neil

Visit my Peak District walking website - www.peakwalking.co.uk

"Neil Cairns" wrote:

Every year I have planted onion sets in my modest vegetable plot, and
before they have had time to get established several of them are lifted,
by birds (presumably).The sets are left lying on the ground.Why do birds
do this ?

I was told that they mistake the shoots for worms and pull them up. When
they get an onion and not a worm they leave it there, being unable or
unwilling to put it back.

-=# Amos E Wolfe #=-

I think we underestimate our 'friends' the birds ;-) This year I replanted most of my sets 40 times or more, I think I have to get to like netting for the first period until they are set properly.

have you tried to lift any plant from the ground (usually we don't but try to look for it when you harvest) ? chances are you see (a) worm(s) between the roots, maybe they know this by now and lift sets until they become rooted and harder to pull; for the worms, they hardly touch the onion.
Maybe I'm overestimating the birds now, after all the pulled all my garlic labels this year as well (I finally found the perfect permanent marker, now this ;-)