Topic: crop protection

[vicki.m]

Hi All,

I hope we are all well, I'm starting to think about crop protection, well mostly keeping cabbage whites off my brassicas, I've always grown at home and  have only had a a few cabbages so have been able to pick off the caterpillars but now with my allotment I was thinking about covering them instead.

I am wondering about mesh sizes, I am fine for bigger mesh netting against birds but am stuck trying to decide what size mesh would stop butterflies.

I can't afford enviromesh although from what I can see that is what I need - can anyone offer any advice on an effective (but cheap) alternative?

For any one who is interested the rhubarb I posted about previously is now growing nicely, I must learn to be less impatient.

[Stevens706]

The recommendation is usually netting with a mesh size of about 1cm / 1/2 inch, you could see if you can get any cheap net curtains from the charity shops

[montbrayon]

I too had problems with cabbage whites last year and was thinking of netting my crop this year.  After a rummage through our garage I found some mesh sides off a gazebo which have never been used, so I am going to utilise them to stop the little critters this year  8)   I think the idea of getting nets from a charity shop is a good alternative to the expensive enviromesh  :)

[ncd72]

Hi - try and get someone to go halves with you for a roll of Debris Net(its what the scaffolders use) a roll 2 mtrs x 50 metres can be picked up on the net for £25-30 delivered and its very fine mesh and very strong stuff.

Or better still contact some of the local scaffolding companies and they,ll prob give you a load of used stuff for next to nothing or even free as they are only allowed to use it once due to H & S reasons.

Hope its some help

[1066]

some people use old net curtains, really fine mesh ones, buy them from a charity shop  :)

[Buster54]

Debris Net good for butterfly and the like but no good for whitefly,I was gonna try some of this(http://www.wondermesh.co.uk/secondhandnets.htm)last year but no takers on my site 200m was a little large for me

[lincsyokel2]

Ive tried all sorts, investing £30 in a roll of debris Netting is where its at. Net curtains rots, debris netting is indestructible. Its cheap and almost nothing alive  can get through,  and it doesnt  cut the light down too much.

[vicki.m]

Thanks everyone seems the debris netting might be the way to go, does enough water get through it or do you need to be able to move it for watering?

[lincsyokel2]

Thanks everyone seems the debris netting might be the way to go, does enough water get through it or do you need to be able to move it for watering?

it works in your favour. Not only does the rain drip through, you can spray through it with a hose and it breaks it up into slower smaller droplets.

[vicki.m]

That's great I'll get on ebay now  :)

[Dandytown]

I used some scaffold netting last year and it works a treat.  Very fine mesh, lets a good amount of light through and no butterflies and is very strong.

It does have small holes which you can put tubing through.  You can close the wholes up with string or cable ties.

Check out my profile and website and there may be a picture on there somewhere.... big blue thing.  Can't get on to check myself as I work for the council and they clamp down on most websites  :(

[lincsyokel2]

an't get on to check myself as I work for the council and they clamp down on most websites  :(

quite right, using the taxpayers bandwidth   :P  8)  :D

[Good Gourd 2]

I mananaged to get some debris netting, from a scaffolder for nothing.  Cut it into strips and machine stitched chanels  about every 3ft then threaded bendy piping through and made tunnels, still going after 4 years. One problem made a dusty mess of the sewing machine.  ::)

[Amazingrotavator(Derby)]

Fully recommend debri netting. Can make net poly tunnel out of it.

[bionear2]

Enviromesh is indeed expensive, but does last for many years. IKEA sell very cheap net curtains, no pattern, so no holes. Very large quantity in a set, and very low price. Said to last for 2-3 seasons at least. Have a look at the IKEA catalogue

[Amazingrotavator(Derby)]

Even for a single giant cabbage. Tough stuff. Supposed to last 10 years at least.

[lincsyokel2]

Enviromesh - averages out at about £1.40 sq metre
Debris netting - averages out at 30p a sq metre


Or look at it another way:
Enviromesh - 2.1 x 50m = £106.99
Debris netting - 2 x 50 M = £27

Debris netting  is nylon, its indestructable, and cannot rot. Ive left lumps outside on the plot all winter unscathed. No competition as far as i can see  :D