How to Keep Mourning Doves Out of My Potted Plants

If you're a gardening enthusiast, you know the joy of growing plants in pots. Potted plants are convenient, easy to move around, and require less space. However, bird enthusiasts may find their peace disrupted by mourning doves who often love to land on and peck at their potted plants. While these birds are beautiful, their presence can cause harm to your plants. This article will help you discover how to keep mourning doves out of your potted plants.

Understand Mourning Doves

To get rid of mourning doves, you first need to understand them. Mourning doves are delicate birds that love to live among humans. They are calm and affectionate birds, but they can be a menace to your potted plants. These birds land on the plants and can destroy the flowers, buds, and leaves. Their feeding habits are also messy, and they litter your garden with unwanted droppings.

Use Scare Tactics

Mourning doves are afraid of sudden noises and movements. You can use this knowledge to create a sense of fear in the birds and keep them away from your potted plants. For instance, you can use scarecrows or place a fake bird near the plants. These would scare the mourning doves and make them feel unsafe landing near your plants. Alternatively, you can also use motion-activated sprinklers, which would scare the birds away by spraying water.

Use Netting

Another way to keep mourning doves out of your potted plants is to use netting. A sturdy mesh netting can act as a barrier that blocks the birds from reaching your plants. This method is particularly useful when the plants are already infested. Netting can prevent the birds from reaching the damaged plants, allowing them to heal and grow back. However, it's vital to ensure that the netting is well secured and doesn't pose a risk to the birds.

Use Spikes and Sticky Traps

Spikes are another effective way to keep mourning doves out of your potted plants. The spikes prevent birds from landing on the plants and causing harm. In addition, you can use sticky traps, which are adhesive strips that trap birds when they land on them. But while these methods are effective, they should be used with caution. They can harm birds, and it's crucial to ensure that they are used responsibly and safely.

Offer Alternate Nesting Sites

Another way to keep mourning doves out of your potted plants is to provide them with an alternative nesting site. The birds may be attracted to your plants because they are looking for a suitable nesting location. To address this, you can introduce nesting boxes to your garden. Nesting boxes are designed to provide suitable nesting sites for birds, and by introducing these to your garden, you can discourage them from nesting in your potted plants.

Conclusion

Mourning doves can be a menace to your potted plants, but you can keep them away by applying scare tactics, using netting, spikes, and sticky traps, providing alternative nesting sites, or using a combination of these methods. Always ensure that the methods you use are safe, humane, and do not harm the birds. With these steps, you will protect your potted plants, and the mourning doves will find suitable nesting sites elsewhere.