Black flies under cover

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Colin2016
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Planted cabbage, broccoli cauliflower & kale in raised bed covered in white ground cover to keep the butterflies away.

I notice there are some black flies under the cover, is this anything to worry about?
Westi
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I've had them under my kale environmesh for ages. Let them out when I weed the bed but they don't seem to cause any damage and seem to return - or another lot, who knows, they are always there though!
Westi
Colin2016
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Thanks Westi ....How long should I keep them covered?
tigerburnie
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Once the butterflies have gone the pigeons will be hungry, I'll leave my netting on.
Been gardening for over 65 years and still learning.
Westi
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Hi Colin!

Keep protection of some sort or another over your winter brassica's for ever until you harvest them. When we get a frost and the cabbage whites move off then you can just change to netting to keep the pigeons out. I buy this green plastic netting from the place that starts with an 'A' online & use tree stakes for the height (although sometimes I cable tie a cane onto it as well but I grow purple sprouting & frilly sprouts too), but it still covers 3 beds minimum. I bought my first one about 3 years ago & it is in constant use for brassica's & soft fruit & holding up well! I think about £10 - Look for a Westi comment on the 'A' place & you know you have the right netting!
Westi
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