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Protecting my brassicas!

tuffnelljohntuffnelljohn Posts: 284
in Fruit & veg
Hi all

Ive just planted my red cabbage and brussel sprouts in my 6 x 4' bed. 

Im starting to think how best to protect against pests (Im not concerned about birds, as a few hanging CDs does the job) but its the caterpillars Im concerned about!

Last year I covered my beds with mesh using plastic hoops. It worked ok, but the butterflies would just lay eggs through the mesh! So should try 4 uprights and drape mesh over that? Seems like Ill need a lot of mesh!

Or perhaps buy some BT? (if so, what do you buy?)

Thanks




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Posts

  • Mark-EMark-E Posts: 184
    We covered ours with butterfly mesh this year.  Similarly to you, last year we used the hoop meshing with little joy.  Hopefully the mesh will work this year. It was frustrating trying to get it over squarish though.


  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    John, if you’re coming to see your mum soon I have a big roll of mesh you can have.
    its very fine they can’t get though it but it lets enough light in,  you will need to build a frame though.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited June 2021
    We bought some fine insect proof netting and my OH built this cage from scrap frames.  
    It was brilliant last year ... no caterpillar damage on our purple sprouting broccoli at all. 
    We’re using it again this year ... it also protects them from the gusty wind, but the rain gets through just fine. 




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





  • Mark-EMark-E Posts: 184
    I feel like an amateur now Dove 😁
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Mark-E said:
    I feel like an amateur now Dove 😁
    Lol!!! We're artists ... OH used three old painting stretchers that had warped ... fixed them together and stapled the mesh over them.  The one at the 'front' lifts off so we can get in and out ... not very professional at all, but good recycling  ;)

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





  • tuffnelljohntuffnelljohn Posts: 284
    Mark-E said:
    We covered ours with butterfly mesh this year.  Similarly to you, last year we used the hoop meshing with little joy.  Hopefully the mesh will work this year. It was frustrating trying to get it over squarish though.


    Wow - that is quite the frame! Why so tall? I notice the uprights are close to the bed edge. Wont the leaves spill over the edge and reach the net?
  • tuffnelljohntuffnelljohn Posts: 284
    Lyn said:
    John, if you’re coming to see your mum soon I have a big roll of mesh you can have.
    its very fine they can’t get though it but it lets enough light in,  you will need to build a frame though.

    Thats very kind of you Lyn. As it happens, I am going down to see her within the fortnight. I will PM you!
  • tuffnelljohntuffnelljohn Posts: 284
    Dovefromabove said:
    We bought some fine insect proof netting and my OH built this cage from scrap frames.  
    It was brilliant last year ... no caterpillar damage on our purple sprouting broccoli at all. 
    We’re using it again this year ... it also protects them from the gusty wind, but the rain gets through just fine. 



    Wow. Your husband should start selling those! It looks ideal!!

    Ive seen all sorts of fancy frames on YouTube that people make to cover their veg beds. But, alas, my DIY skills are about as good as my gardening skills!  :s

    (having said that, this is my second year of gardening, and Ive surprised myself at how far Ive come! Ive got quite a few 'experiments' on the go, such as: multi sowing vs single sowing, growing veg in containers vs growing in beds, square foot gardening vs traditional spacing.)
  • Mark-EMark-E Posts: 184
    tuffnelljohn said:
    Mark-E said:
    We covered ours with butterfly mesh this year.  Similarly to you, last year we used the hoop meshing with little joy.  Hopefully the mesh will work this year. It was frustrating trying to get it over squarish though.


    Wow - that is quite the frame! Why so tall? I notice the uprights are close to the bed edge. Wont the leaves spill over the edge and reach the net?

    I just used some bean poles I had left over so the height was just to the size they were.

    Yeah,  a little too close. I may slew the netting at an angle to the other bed to reduce the risk of butterfly's laying through the netting as there is some slack on it.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    I knew we must be related dove,my hubby also made a wooden frame,covered with fine netting.the arches will work,if you make them high enough, blue plastic piping canes in the end then drape netting and secure
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