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Produce => Pests & Diseases => Topic started by: ripley on January 21, 2011, 08:45:28

Title: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: ripley on January 21, 2011, 08:45:28

Hi,

I've read somewhere that you can make net curtain protection for individual fruit bushes.
Has anyone used these and how do you make them? I have loads of fruit bushes which need protection and these will hopefully be the answer!
Thanks Ripley

Title: Re: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: shirlton on January 21, 2011, 09:06:39

Get your curtains as cheap as you can and as fine.Wait until the bees have done their job and then cover. I have made some bags out of netting for mine and used the old toggles from the fleece once that disintegrated

Title: Re: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: Ellen K on January 21, 2011, 09:51:55

Just throwing the nets over the bushes doesn't always work well as pigeons land and try to eat and the fat flying rats can break branches,

You need a cage structure.

I think it was Digeroo who recommends buying the curtains from Ikea as cheap and up to the job.  But netting is quite cheap on ebay these days and it's delivered to your door.  But it has to be treated with respect or it tears.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270613707006&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140497223592&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Title: Re: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: shirlton on January 21, 2011, 11:42:24

That netting is ok if you are just protecting from birds.We have to protect from aphids therefore the fine netting. I did put a post up under pests and deseases (fruit protection) if you are interested

Title: Re: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on January 21, 2011, 12:46:57

Netting should work as long as it's on before the birds start taking an interest. Then they're never going to be sniffing round the bushes. You need to sew enough to make a decent tent and cover it properly, as pigeons tend to land beside the bushes and walk in underneath.

Title: Re: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: ripley on January 21, 2011, 18:45:47

Hi

Thank you for all your advice. I think I'm going to get the sewing machine out and make individual pill string bags out of net curtains I can get from charity shops.

Not sure what it will look like! ;D

Thanks Ripley

Title: Re: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on January 21, 2011, 22:37:42

Make them good and big.

Title: Re: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: shirlton on January 22, 2011, 08:02:48

(http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s121/shirlton/bert081.jpg)





Heres the one I made earlier ;D

Title: Re: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: ripley on January 22, 2011, 09:08:23

Wow thank you so much for the photo Shirlton I know now just how to do it.
I have well over 25 bushes to cover so I better get sewing! I love mt allotment but theres so much to do!
Thanks for all the replies and advice. Ripley ;D

Title: Re: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: bionear2 on January 22, 2011, 22:16:02

You can also get packs of large, plain net curtains from IKEA, at a very low price - ideal for draping or making into covers.
No pattern, so no holes, our guess is that they are aphid proof.

Title: Re: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: shirlton on January 23, 2011, 08:22:18

You do have to make sure that there is no way in for the little blighter hence the drawstring at the bottom . The top drawstring enables easy picking.
I can make 2 bags out of each curtain so its very inexpensive

Title: Re: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: ripley on February 21, 2011, 19:08:47

I've just been given lots of old net curtains from a closing building- they were to go in the skip!! So while the bad weather is here I intend having a go at last at sewing the covers. All for free :)

Thanks Ripley

Title: Re: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: cambourne7 on February 21, 2011, 19:35:34

try freecycle :)

Title: Re: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: green lily on February 25, 2011, 21:03:44

I recommend the same trick over purple sprouting to keep the pigeons off.. ;D

Title: Re: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: pigeonseed on February 26, 2011, 20:08:25

I never thought of net curtains for the PSB! I threw an old one over the cherry tree though. Didn't do any sewing. But fruit bushes are a bit different I suppose.

Title: Re: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: shirlton on February 27, 2011, 07:05:27

We always net our PSB with pond netting over wire netting and the pigeons sit on the top and weigh it down till it reaches the plants

Title: Re: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on February 27, 2011, 15:36:43

They do that to me as well, but there's always enough left for a crop. It does limit the quantity though.

Title: Re: net curtains for fruit bushes?
Post by: pigeonseed on February 27, 2011, 20:57:50

They're determined. They're really stripping the kale at the moment - I suppose it's their 'hungry gap.' We're a bit fed up with kale and so I've sort of donated them to the gentlepigeon relief fund, but the PSB I want for myself.