I will report back later, as to whether any aphids made their way through onto the broccoli!
enviro/wondermesh
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retropants
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I just wanted to report back after having covered all my brassicas with this mesh for the first time this year. I am very happy with the results so far. My brassicas are all huge, without a mark on them, I am especially pleased with the January King cabbages, they look beautiful!
I will report back later, as to whether any aphids made their way through onto the broccoli!
I will report back later, as to whether any aphids made their way through onto the broccoli!
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Doctor Deb
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I also took the plunge(and a mortgage!) and bought wondermesh for my brassicas, and have had a mostly bug-free crop. The cabbages have been the best, but I did manage to grow my first caulis this year too. Still got a bit of slug damage, but so far, am very pleased with my investment. It looks like the mesh will be good for a few years yet too. The only irritation is having to peg and un-peg it every time I want to get to the veg. It only works as well as the the gardener operating it, which is probably why there was a fat bunny sitting under the mesh in the middle of my brassicas last week! Grrrr! 
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retropants
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I know what you mean! it is not cheap!
I am also fending off slugs and bunnies, but at least I shouldn't have catrepillars in my brocoli, yeuch!
I have had to but some more, and sew 2 lengths together, as my sprouts were bursting underneath the original cover! That was interesting, it looked like my sewing machine had started to excrete meringue!
I am also fending off slugs and bunnies, but at least I shouldn't have catrepillars in my brocoli, yeuch!
I have had to but some more, and sew 2 lengths together, as my sprouts were bursting underneath the original cover! That was interesting, it looked like my sewing machine had started to excrete meringue!
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Mike Vogel
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I went to water and mulch my newly-planted brassicas, which I had already "protected" with enviromesh. Yes, of course, 2 while butterflies flitting around under the mesh. They don't seem to have laid any eggs, though; maybe confinement inhibits their natural functions!
[Not much for them to lay eggs on anyway - I'm a month late with the plants.
mike
[Not much for them to lay eggs on anyway - I'm a month late with the plants.
mike
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Colin_M
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Doctor Deb wrote:It only works as well as the the gardener operating it, which is probably why there was a fat bunny sitting under the mesh in the middle of my brassicas last week!
Yes, I can relate to that. There are currently several bluebottles flying around inside my Enviromesh tunnels. Unless these have emerged from the ground, I can only assume there's an entry point somewhere
Let's hope the carrot flies don't find it......
Hi Colin and Mike,
The most likely reason for Butterflies and Bluebottles inside the netting is as Colin says, born inside the covered area. It is therefore very important when sowing Carrots that the ground has not been used the previous year for Carrots or Parsnips as all you will do is give the emerging Carrot Root Fly the perfect breeding ground. This is where the benefit of crop rotation counts and this is really the perfect demonstration of why it is necessary.
JB.
The most likely reason for Butterflies and Bluebottles inside the netting is as Colin says, born inside the covered area. It is therefore very important when sowing Carrots that the ground has not been used the previous year for Carrots or Parsnips as all you will do is give the emerging Carrot Root Fly the perfect breeding ground. This is where the benefit of crop rotation counts and this is really the perfect demonstration of why it is necessary.
JB.
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vivienz
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Good point, JB. I expect the same applies to leek moth, which is what I have bought my enviromesh to protect against. I shall be putting my leeks in this coming week, but not in the same place as last year, so I hope that they won't be bothered by this revolting pest.
Vivien.
Vivien.
Hi Vivien,
Thinking a little harder things like Gooseberry Saw Fly, who ultimately crawl into the soil to pupate,
could do exactly the same thing if you were to cover Gooseberries to the ground. In a case like that it maybe best to encapsulate the plant and fasten the net to the bottom of the stem of the plant to exclude them for the first year at least.
As for the Leek Moth, I thought that it was a thing of the south coast but John reliably informs me that they have got as far as Gloucester which is only 80 miles from me. At present nothing attacks my Leeks but I suppose that I should really net them up as I do most other things. I have not really studied the Leek Moth and I really should. I wonder if the pheromone traps would work on them? Perhaps somebody might inform me if they do.
JB.
Thinking a little harder things like Gooseberry Saw Fly, who ultimately crawl into the soil to pupate,
could do exactly the same thing if you were to cover Gooseberries to the ground. In a case like that it maybe best to encapsulate the plant and fasten the net to the bottom of the stem of the plant to exclude them for the first year at least.
As for the Leek Moth, I thought that it was a thing of the south coast but John reliably informs me that they have got as far as Gloucester which is only 80 miles from me. At present nothing attacks my Leeks but I suppose that I should really net them up as I do most other things. I have not really studied the Leek Moth and I really should. I wonder if the pheromone traps would work on them? Perhaps somebody might inform me if they do.
JB.
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Doctor Deb
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I harvested some late calabrese from under the mesh and they had lots of caterpillars in them. I know it is because I don't peg it down sufficiently, and butterflies are getting in. My mesh came with pegs, and I've used all sorts of extra devices, but the ground is uneven, and the height of the growing crops is also uneven, so gaps often appear. I'm thinking of using old scaffolding planks along the edges next year. Fairly quick and easy to place and lift off, and won't damage the edges of the mesh like pegs do. And rabbits can't lift them off (yet!- but I'm sure they are working on it!)
Is there an efficient method of decreasing the population of unwanted insects still in the soil? I could plant through a mulch or membrane, but this will be yet another cost and my veg are going to be utterly uneconomical at this rate.
Is there an efficient method of decreasing the population of unwanted insects still in the soil? I could plant through a mulch or membrane, but this will be yet another cost and my veg are going to be utterly uneconomical at this rate.