Forum home› Fruit & veg
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Using mesh covering.

RobmarstonRobmarston Posts: 338
in Fruit & veg
When should you cover your crops with protection such as enviromesh? Should it been as soon as the seeds go in or when the seedlings start to show? I’m thinking particularly about spring onions, leeks, chard, spinach, beans and parsnips. 

Posts

  • John MacJohn Mac Posts: 32
    I cove mine with chicken wire staked with bamboo poles after sowing, just lift off to hoe
    A man on a croft.....
  • RobmarstonRobmarston Posts: 338
    @john Mac.  Do you change that later for mesh or just leave the chicken wire. I’ve got netting and I’ve got mesh and I’m not sure what to use for what and when. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    What are you protecting them from?

    i use chicken wire to protect seedbeds from felines with bad toilet habits. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • RobmarstonRobmarston Posts: 338
    Birds and butterflies. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited April 2020
    There’s nothing in your list that needs protecting from birds and butterflies.

    I sometimes use a fine mesh to protect brassicas from cabbage white butterflies later in the season.

     If you have marauding woodpigeons you can leave the netting on over winter to keep the woodies off kale, sprouts and broccoli etc. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • John MacJohn Mac Posts: 32
    Dovefromabove said:
    What are you protecting them from?

    i use chicken wire to protect seedbeds from felines with bad toilet habits. 
    Cats and an old Labrador with a digging habit.
    A man on a croft.....
  • John MacJohn Mac Posts: 32
    Robmarston said:
    @john Mac.  Do you change that later for mesh or just leave the chicken wire. I’ve got netting and I’ve got mesh and I’m not sure what to use for what and when. 
    I just leave the chicken wire on until the plants get big enough not to be bothered by cats and elderly labradors, then take it off completely. I grow my parsnips in old drainpipes so they’re quite safe!
    A man on a croft.....
  • John MacJohn Mac Posts: 32
    bed nearest camera has chicken wire over onion and radish
    A man on a croft.....
  • John MacJohn Mac Posts: 32
    Better pic
    A man on a croft.....
  • John MacJohn Mac Posts: 32

    A man on a croft.....
Sign In or Register to comment.