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Possums and birds are the bane of gardeners lives, often enjoying the fruits of your labours before you do. We have found physical barriers are the only failsafe way to protect vegetables and spraying deterants over larger trees to stop them eating roses, magnolias and citrus.
Bird netting provides a physical barrier, which prevents birds and fruit bats from attacking your ripening fruit. Always try to have the net in place before the attack begins and remove it as soon as possible after harvest is complete, to prevent damage to both the net and the tree. All netting will have a longer life if you use a frame rather than simply throwing it over the tree. This greatly minimizes snagging.
Plant Protection net protects fruit trees and vegetables from birds and possums. Its soft and flexible, rot proof and reusable. It comes in two sizes, 8 x 4m and 8 x 2m. We are installing it over our vegetable plets this weekend.
Magnolias are susceptible to being eaten by possums. Trapping possums can sometimes be the only way in controlling the damage but regulations exist about the release distance from the house and questions remain about the effectiveness of this action as they tend to return. Spraying trees with a deterrent such as Scat, Ruddocks or Deter is a temporary solution as it washes off after rain but remains effective as long as its on the tree.
What do they do?
Possums eat the new foliage of roses, magnolia flower buds and vegetables.
Can we live with them?
Yes
How are they controlled?
Below are some ways you may wish to try.
Tip 1: If you can reach, spray your your plants with possum deterrents such as D-ter, Poss Off, Ruddocks Deterant or Scat, paying special attention to new growth and buds. Reapply after rain as this will wash it off. Tip 2: Hang rags around the area of concern that have been soaked in Dynamic Lifter liquid. Possums hate the smell. Tip 3: Wrap naphthalene flakes in muslin bags and hang around the plants in question. Again, possums hate the smell. Tip 4: Install a spot light and position it into the canopy of the tree. Leave on all night. Possums don't like being on show. Tip 5: Add a physical barrier to impede their access along fences such as spikes and gutter guard. Spikes can be wrapped around tree trunks if your possums are entering from the ground.
Tip 6: Keep a radio on all night in the tree, possums hate the noise, but so too might your neighbours, so this one will only work if your tree doesn't sit outside nextdoor's master bedroom! Tip 7: Feed your possums (with fruit) somewhere else to lure them away from certain areas in your garden. Tip 8: Those who, like us, might be desperately looking for solutions to rid of the possums from the vegetable garden, roses and magnolia trees may like go sonar. A transonic device called 'Cex' from BirdGuard (www.birdguard.com.au) is available from Queensland. This device comes as a single unit and is ideal for small gardens and ceilings. It works on a ultrasonic sound waves and does not harm household pets such as dogs, cats, birds and fish. There is also a unit called 'Strayban' - good for possums, rats, wallabies and mice availbable at Parkers Nursery at Turramurra. Test results!!! 1. Strayban worked 100%
2. Bird netting worked 100%
3. D'Ter worked 95-100%
4. A home made recipe of 50/50 Vaseline and Vicks Vaporub smeared on trunks and tree stems worked 80%
5. Lights which came on in response to arrival of possums. 15%
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