The Handmade Solution That Helps Keep Birds Out Of Your Berry Bushes

Half-eaten berries, scattered fruit on the ground, peck marks left on those remaining: these are just a few signs that birds have taken interest in your berry bushes. You may even notice entire fruits missing just days after they've fully ripened. Most birds are likely to try to eat your garden berries, and it can beyond frustrating to see your hard work go up in smoke so quickly. There are a few methods to deter birds from your berry bushes, and one is as simple as a shiny tinfoil pinwheel. Sure, you could pick one up online or from your local Dollar Tree, but you could also make your own using pieces of paper and aluminum foil. 

One of the easiest ways to keep birds from your garden is to decorate it with items that they dislike, which usually includes anything loud, reflective, or shiny. Aluminum foil is an excellent material with bird-deterring properties, and it can keep them from munching on your grass seed or eating your precious berries. Specifically, an aluminum foil pinwheel can help deter birds with its appearance and unfamiliar sounds, and it will even double as garden decor. You don't need to be a DIY expert to complete this craft, and you only need a few basic items to get started. 

Pinwheels are a wonderful garden addition. They don't just deter birds from your garden; they can even help keep away other pests like squirrels. To make a DIY foil pinwheel, you will need a few basic household and craft items: aluminum foil, card stock, a pen, a ruler, scissors, and a glue stick. 

First, cut a square out of your card stock. The size doesn't matter, as long as it has four equal sides. You will also want to cut out two squares of aluminum foil that are the exact size of the paper square. Taking your glue stick, apply glue to the outer edge of the paper and stick one square of foil onto the paper. Once it has dried, flip the paper over so it is face down. Apply your glue to the back of the paper and adhere the second foil square. 

Next, take your ruler and lay it diagonally across the foil, marking a straight line with your pen. Repeat the same step with the opposite diagonal. Cut those four diagonal lines you made with your scissors, leaving about an inch for each in the center of the foil. Now it's time to start folding to make the iconic pinwheel shape. Apply glue to the center of the foil square and the tip of one of the eight points. Fold that point down towards the center of the square. Repeat this same step with every other point, until you have four alternating points glued down to the center of the foil. The other four points should remain up. You can push a thumbtack through the center of the pinwheel into an old pencil, popsicle stick, or sturdy straw.