As the Celestes and others ripen, the birds were enjoying the fruits of our figs labor. Family summer travel + work travel = a five-day window for the birds to feast. I needed a quick fix and here is what I did. The Level 1 Protection was flawless and protected several Smith that my daughter devoured immediately. The Level 0 Protection was effective for all but the Foxcroft Celeste and Kilmartin Celeste where the birds already have a dining history and frequent like a bar. Everywhere else Level 0 was 100% successful. I was particularly pleased with the Hardy Chicago figs that I did not have to share with the birds. It also led to me spamming the forum with 2014 photographs.

Level 1 Protection. Plastic clam shell. 100% success.

Level 0 Protection. Clothespinned leaf. It rained heavily for two days but this Baskinta Brown was still dead ripe as shown in this post. 100% everywhere the birds had not found figs. On the tree where they had already had figs, this method was useless.

Wow.  That seems so much more confining that netting is.  It doesn't hurt the tree?  With all those crunched up leaves, I mean.  Or if you get a storm that weights that container down...

Mike   central NY state, zone 5a

Great thinking!

What a fella will not do to protect his figs, this is great stuff, thanks for sharing JD.

Mike,
Five days. No damage to the tree by the container via weight or confinement. Only frustrated birds. The leaves are only slight more crunched up than they are when shipping a layer or rooted cutting. For the wear, the leaves look no different than they would after netting. I tried netting a weekend ago and it was dinner as usual for the birds.

The containers have holes. Thus water is repelled or runs through. The water does not collect and as a result, it does not add weight.