cabbage white butterflies and netting

[lindaj]

I am new to vegetable growing and to this forum so hope I am doing this right! I covered my brassicas with 7mm netting to stop them laying eggs but I have watched some of them getting through, and now there are caterpillars everywhere! I need to find netting with smaller holes, or is enviromesh the only way? If enviromesh is the answer, does anyone know the cheapest place to buy it from? Thanks for any replies.

[Nature's Babe]

Hi lindaj welcome to the forum. The cheapest I know of is recycled from a farm they use it in huge strips that get slightly damaged, perhaps slightly muddied, but are still reusable for smaller beds. they send it by the boxful. I'm going to try a box from here, they deliver free if you order over a certain amount.
http://www.riverford.co.uk/wash/
If you apply enviromesh allow for your plants growth to mature height, or the little buggers get under the sides as the plants grow !

[lindaj]

Many thanks, Nature's babe. I went on the Riverford website to investigate, and found the relevant info, but unfortunately they say there will be some holes, and the cabbage whites around here are so persistent that there would be an army of the things on my brassicas in no time at all! So I think I need to find a source of new enviromesh or fine netting. I found some on the Harrods gardening website which was cheaper than in my gardening catalogue, but still pricy.
Does anyone know of a source of finer mesh than the standard 7 mm , e.g. 3-5 mm? Or is enviromesh really the only way to be sure of keeping the caggage whites out?

[Colin_M]

NB has pointed out a good source.

Note that these indeed usually are big (often 100m in length, though I couldn't see from Riverford's website what they offered) so whilst being a bargain might possibly be more than you needed unless you can spread the material & cost with others.

If you Google you will now find lots of other outlets selling manageable lengths (eg. 2-5 metres) if that's more what you need. One thing I've also found useful is the clips to help you peg it down (usually best to avoid making holes in enviromesh if you can). Here are some examples, though I'm sure there are plenty of others:
Mesh
http://www.gardening-naturally.com/acat ... omesh.html
Clips
http://www.gardening-naturally.com/acat ... Clips.html

Note the clips aren't especially cheap, but they do last for several years (as should your mesh if used & stored carefully).

[lindaj]

Thanks Colin, the gardening naturally website looks good and I will probably order from that. I'm assuming that enviromesh is really the only thing that will keep out the butterflies, especially as no one has recommended a mesh size in between 7mm and enviromesh.

[realfood]

I use recycled debris netting which keeps them out.

[Elaine]

Hi LindaJ. We use that black pond netting on ours and it works well. We bought it from a garden centre where it's sold by the metre but Wikinsons sell it in packs.
Cheers.

[oldherbaceous]

Evening Lyndaj, can i just ask, have you actually seen them getting through the 7mm holes, as i just can't imagine them being able to get through a gap of that size?

I was just wondering if they might be getting through any gaps around the netting and the ground, or the other thing they can do is, lay their eggs through the netting if it is resting on the plant leaves, just a thought.

A very warm welcome to the forum by the way.

[Colin_M]

Evening Lyndaj, can i just ask, have you actually seen them getting through the 7mm holes, as i just can't imagine them being able to get through a gap of that size?

Agreed.

However when some brassicas grow large enough for their leaves to touch the netting, don't some butterflies then lay eggs on the bits they can reach from the outside (without needing actually wiggle completely through the hole)?

[oldherbaceous]

I also said that in a round about way, Colin.

[Victoria]

I also buy pond netting, £1.40 per metre here in mid suffolk, does a good job.

[Elle's Garden]

I have a lovely square of enviromesh to protect my red cabbages. Most days I have to pull it back to let the cabbage whites out!! I think I have not got it pinned down correctly!

[lucysmum]

I covered one of my raised beds for the first time this year with mesh. OH doesn't like it as its white & does stand out abit in the garden, but it did the job. A few slugs got it, but no problems with butterflies. They fly around it & try to get it. Its weighted down with bricks.
I was wondering whether to take it off now as its past egg laying time I think, but it does keep the bed a bit warmer.
I think I'll do it again next year.

[Primrose]

I know somebody who bought a load of dirt cheap net curtains from a charity shop and stiched them together with her sewing machine. They did an excellent job of keeping the cabbage whites at bay, and although they didn't look particularly attractive, the material was pretty strong and did get ripped or torn with the wind.

[lindaj]

Sorry to be slow in answering the question about whether I have seen the cabbage whites getting through my 7 mm netting. Yes I have! They flutter around the netting for a few minutes, and sometimes I will see one fold up its wings and get through! It lays its eggs then tries to get out again which can take it at least 10 minutes. I have seen several do this and am so fed up with the resultant caterpillars that I think I will have to invest in enviromesh for next year.