Allotments 4 All

What's the best size of netting to stop butterflies getting through to my greens please

I should imagine a Butterfly could squeeze through fruit netting if it really wanted to, but to cover Brassicas you can't go far wrong with 'Debris netting' :)

Quote from: Mr Smith on April 28, 2011, 09:00:38
I should imagine a Butterfly could squeeze through fruit netting if it really wanted to, but to cover Brassicas you can't go far wrong with 'Debris netting' :)

Thanks for the quick reply, I have got access to a netting with a 7mm square hole is this to big. I think it might be pond netting

Debri netting keeps them out. Best investment I made.



Can make any size cloche to keep the blighters out.

Wow! May I just compliment you on an amazingly neat and tidy and well put together plot. I have only just acquired my allotment but my ambition is  to be able to acheive something like yours in a year or so (fingers crossed). If I can I will be in my element. Congratulations it is brilliant.

The debris stuff is great, but I'd say the 7mm mesh is OK too.  So if you've got it, try it.  You need to do a good tight job though.  Like on the picture; tucked in round the edges.

Debris netting is one of my best ever tips from lovely A4A people. Has so many uses and so cheap (or free if you are lucky).

Do a search on here on debris netting and you will find lots of information on how to source it. I got mine from www.tildenet.co.uk.  I used them as cheapest I found in black and 3m wide.  You might not care so much about colour, and if so I think there were cheaper suppliers.

However, 7mm netting is marketed for protection against butterflies. I used to get the extra-wide net from Harrod Horticultural http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/HarrodSite/product/Butterfly_Netting/GDN-741.htm

before I found debris netting.  It is much, much more expensive. It is good but needs to be well above the plants or they can lay eggs through it, and very occasionally I have had butterflies somehow fold their wings and get through, so you still need to keep an eye open for damage.

PS - I have much more ramshackle structures (plumbing pipe and bamboo canes) compared to amazingrotavator's amazing constructions! 

Thanks all good info and great pictures.

I'm going to put round posts 8 footers(£3 a time thought that was a really good price)  in and then wire it and then net. It's an area of 4 X4 yards 6ft hight so 2mtr roll should do it just fine