How to Build a Frame for Bird-Proofing a Strawberry Patch

Measure the area of your strawberry patch. Place four pieces of 2-inch by 4-inch lumber to make a square the size of the patch. So, if your patch is constructed with four pieces of 2-inch by 4-inch wood, the patch will measure 16 square feet. You can adjust the size of the frame and the strawberry patch by increasing the length of the wood that you're using; so, an 8-foot by 8-foot square will give you 64 square feet for your strawberry patch and frame. If your strawberry patch isn't symmetrical, consider replanting some of the strawberry plants so that they line up and it's easier to enclose them in a frame.

Cut the other two pieces of wood in half and set them at each corner of the patch. Use the nail gun and wood glue to attach the four full pieces of wood together, then set the half pieces upright on the frame. Before enclosing the frame, fill it with the topsoil. If you’ve already planted your strawberries, adjust the base frame so that it surrounds them.

Plant the strawberries, leaving room between the rows for weeding and caring for the fruit. Once the strawberries are planted, stretch bird netting between the upright portions of the frame. Allow it to cover the outside of the wood. Use the staple gun to staple the bird netting between the upright pieces of wood and to the frame base.

Stretch two pieces of netting across the top of the frame -- each piece the length of the frame plus two inches. For the width of the netting, cut it to ensure that there's a two-inch overlap. Attach the corners of each piece of netting to the uprights of the frame with the staple gun. Using hook-and-loop fasteners, attach the center of the netting securely. Instead of using hook-and-loop fasteners, substitute Mylar tape at the openings and where the netting is attached, with the added advantage that it will reflect the light and scare the birds away. With this frame in place, along with sunlight and rain, you will have access to the patch, but the birds will be stymied.