This should yield about a gallon of spray solution. To make your own spray solution, mix five pounds of granulated sugar with two quarts of water in a large pot on the stove, and heat it to dissolve the sugar completely. It will give them diarrhea, and after consuming enough fruit covered in a layer of it, they may develop an aversion to your beautiful blueberries. Many varieties of fruit-eating birds – such as starlings, robins, and thrushes – are not able to digest sucrose. Sucrose is another repellent that is somewhat effective. As it only remains effective for a few days, reapply regularly and after rain. To make grape Kool-Aid into a repellent spray, mix four packets with one gallon of water and spray plants when the fruit begins to color. Packets of the unsweetened variety are available from Wal-Mart. This chemical is completely safe for both humans and animals, but the birds don’t like it. Methyl anthranilate, a compound that gives Concord grapes their characteristic aroma and flavor, is registered for use and approved by the FDA for repelling avian visitors. RepellentsĬonsider spraying your plants with some type of repellent to lead them to believe the fruit isn’t yummy after all (even though it still is). So you need to outsmart them, and always try to be one step ahead of them. They are intelligent enough, in fact, to learn to use the kites and sounds as signals that the fruit is ready. The “scarecrows” and sounds you use need to match.Īnd both must be moved regularly so they don’t get used to them and begin to perch happily on your owl figurine, for example. It’s also important to realize that our feathered friends are smart. Set up a combination, such as a hawk kite with a predatory cry, as the fruit begins to ripen. The above-described visual and auditory options work best when used together. Be aware that devices claiming to deter avian visitors via ultrasonic methods are not effective.

Grape kool aid