How To Cover Blueberry Bushes With Netting

Covering blueberry bushes with netting is one of the best ways to protect your harvest from hungry birds.
 
If you’ve been wondering how to cover blueberry bushes with netting, the good news is that it’s a simple process that just takes a bit of planning.
 
Birds love ripe blueberries just as much as we do, and without netting, they can strip a bush in a matter of days.
 
That’s why learning how to cover blueberry bushes with netting properly is a skill every grower should have.
 
In this post, we’ll walk through when to cover your bushes, how to cover blueberry bushes with netting step by step, and the common mistakes to avoid.
 
Let’s get right into it.
 

Why You Should Cover Blueberry Bushes With Netting

Covering blueberry bushes with netting works, and here’s why it matters so much:

1. Birds Are the Biggest Threat to Your Berries

Birds can wipe out an entire crop of blueberries in just a few days.
 
Robins, starlings, and cedar waxwings are especially fond of ripe berries.
 
Once they find your bushes, they’ll keep coming back for more.
 
Netting is the most reliable barrier between your berries and their beaks.
 
It’s a physical block that stops birds from landing on the bush and picking at the fruit.
 
That’s the main reason so many growers cover blueberry bushes with netting every season.
 

2. It Protects Your Harvest Without Chemicals

Netting keeps birds away without sprays, poisons, or scare tactics.
 
You get to enjoy clean, chemical-free berries straight from the bush.
 
And you don’t have to worry about harming the birds either.
 
It’s a win for your harvest and a win for wildlife.
 

3. It Pays for Itself in One Season

A good roll of netting costs very little compared to the value of the berries you’d lose.
 
If birds take even half your crop, the netting has already paid for itself.
 
Reusable netting lasts several seasons, so the cost drops even further over time.
 

When to Cover Blueberry Bushes With Netting

Timing matters when you cover blueberry bushes with netting.
 
Put netting up too early and it’s just in the way.
 
Wait too long and the birds beat you to the harvest.
 

1. Watch for Color Change

Start paying attention when your berries begin to shift from green to pink or red.
 
That’s the signal that ripening is underway.
 

2. Cover Before the Berries Turn Fully Blue

Birds often peck at berries just before they’re fully ripe.
 
So the ideal time to cover blueberry bushes with netting is when the first berries start turning blue.
 
Don’t wait until harvest day.
 

3. Keep It On Through Harvest

Leave the netting in place until you’ve picked the last of your berries.
 
Once the harvest is done, you can safely remove it.
 

How to Cover Blueberry Bushes With Netting

Here’s the simple process for covering blueberry bushes with netting the right way:

1. Choose the Right Netting

Pick netting with a mesh size of about 3/4 inch or smaller.
 
That’s tight enough to keep out small birds while still letting in sunlight and air.
 
Draped netting works fine for small bushes, but framed netting is better for larger ones.
 

2. Build a Simple Frame

You can drape netting directly over the bush, but it snags on branches and traps birds.
 
A better approach is to build a frame using PVC pipes, wooden stakes, or metal hoops.
 
Push the posts into the ground around the bush and connect them across the top.
 
This keeps the netting off the foliage and makes it much easier to work with.
 

3. Drape and Secure the Netting

Lay the netting over the frame, leaving a little slack so it doesn’t tear.
 
Pull the edges down to the ground and secure them with stakes, bricks, or clips.
 
Make sure there are no gaps at the bottom.
 
Birds are persistent and will slip through any opening they find.
 

4. Check It Regularly

Walk around your bushes every few days to check for gaps or sagging.
 
If a bird gets trapped inside, free it right away.
 
A quick check keeps your netting working all season long.
 

5. Remove and Store It After Harvest

Once the berries are gone, take the netting down.
 
Roll it up neatly and store it somewhere dry.
 
It’ll be ready to go again next year when you cover blueberry bushes with netting.
 

Common Mistakes to Avoid When You Cover Blueberry Bushes With Netting

Even simple tasks go wrong sometimes.
 
Here are the mistakes to watch for when you cover blueberry bushes with netting:

1. Using Netting With Holes That Are Too Big

Small birds slip right through large mesh.
 
Stick with 3/4 inch or smaller.
 

2. Leaving Gaps at the Bottom

Birds will find that one loose corner every time.
 
Weigh down the edges or stake them firmly.
 

3. Draping Netting Directly on the Bush

Branches poke through and birds get tangled.
 
Always use a frame if you can.
 

4. Waiting Too Late to Cover

Once birds find your berries, it’s already too late.
 
Cover blueberry bushes with netting as soon as the first berries turn blue.
 

So, How Do You Cover Blueberry Bushes With Netting?

You cover blueberry bushes with netting by building a simple frame and draping mesh over it.
 
You cover blueberry bushes with netting before the berries fully ripen, securing every edge so birds can’t sneak in.
 
You cover blueberry bushes with netting the right way and your harvest stays yours all season long.
 
Hope this post has helped you with covering blueberry bushes with netting and keeping the birds out for good.