Netting cherry trees

beebee

I have taken on an allotment this year and want to plant a Morello cherry tree. The birds here are pretty greedy but this is a sour cooking cherry - will I still need to net the tree to protect the fruit?

absfabs

We planted one about 4 years ago, the first few seasons it was fine, we got the cherries. So I thought they did not need any protection.

This year there weren't very many in the first place, and I suppose I did not pick them at the earliest opportunity....

and the birds had them all, in one day! Wood pidgeons, I think. They were also seen in the raspberries, for the first time.

I really don't want to do netting, we are growing fruit in the garden and I don't want to look at netting, but not so sure after loosing all the cherries.

So to sum up, I think the birds prefer the sweet cherries, but will eat Morellos, too, if left to fully ripen.

beebee

There is a serious pigeon problem on the allotments and I've been advised to net anything that's green (the pigeons aren't fussy they'll eat any and everything).
I was just hoping that I wouldn't have to bother netting the tree - from your post it looks as if I'll have to.
Thanks for your advice