Topic: Fleece

[Lady of the Land]

What do you cover with fleece? and why?

I have already bought some fleece to cover carrots against carrot root fly. Is there any thing else I need to consider covering.

Has anyone had any problems with foxes or other animals damaging the fleece ?

Thank You

L of the L

[sandersj89]

Fleece is very good for carrot fly protection as you have already mentioned.

It can also be used to protect against many other fly insects, flea beetles, white fly, butterflies, etc.

Fleece will also take the edge of frosts, giving a few degrees celcius of protection.

Jerry

[Mrs Ava]

Never had any probs with critters, altho the fox did leave pretty muddy foot prints all over the fleece after a rainy day!  Good against flea beetle on your pakchoi and rocket.  Good frost protection.

[john_miller]

Almost anything can be covered with fleece. In addition to protecting against pests it will increase germination of direct sown crops (especially slow germinators like carrots) as it aids retention of moisture in the soil, brings on crops earlier (due to extra heat and it reduces moisture stress) and increases yield (to the extreme where a test crop of potatoes was 195% of the control, but  any crop responds), probably for similar reasons.

[Lady of the Land]

Thank you all for your replies

I presume water can not get through but is useful as you say John to keep moisture in.

[tim]

Water does get through, but sags the fleece a bit while wet. = Tim

[john_miller]

Bit more of a problem for you than me Tim? I have always preferred mesh (?) over fleece for that reason though.

[tim]

Me too - it lets rain through better, you can see what's going on underneath & it doesn't sag. But it is a bit heavier,  the cost is pretty off-putting and I could not bear to chop it up for smaller areas. = Tim