Protecting veg from pests

[Scott Hogg]

Hi Folks,

I was wondering if it's important to use netting for my broccoli, Cauliflower, carrots and onions? I grew some broccoli a couple of years ago but I had problems with caterpillars.

Any pests I should watch out for?

Thanks

[Scarlet]

It's wise to net all brassicas. Pigeons and caterpillars are a menace and can ruin the whole crop. I don't bother netting onions

Carrots can get carrot root fly and for this I think your only protection would be enviromesh. Some gardeners swear that if you put a barrier around two foot high this does stop it but I think it may be a myth! I've never had a problem with carrots, so I've never covered them.

[buddy of maidstone]

I will net my brassicas this year got absolutely ruined last year by cabbage whites!!! As for carrots I plant them in between my rows of onions and have always been fine .


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[Kristen]

I was wondering if it's important to use netting for my broccoli, Cauliflower, carrots and onions? I grew some broccoli a couple of years ago but I had problems with caterpillars.

Cabbage white butterfly needs quite a fine mesh (probably smaller than you would expect). Scaffolders Debris Netting is probably the cheapest suitable material (it has eyeletes but I've very rarely seen a Butterfly get into mine, but you could sow them up if you like ...)

For Carrots it is enviromesh as Scarlet said. My view is that even one or two Carrot flies make a right mess of the lovely carrot roots, so what's the point of installing a 99% (and possibly considerably less) effective barrier.

I want my crops to be as good as I can get them. Enviromesh works a treat, and personally I don't give a fig for whether companion planting works / nearly works for others, I ain't taking the risk

[Greenleaves]

I totally agree with Kristen, I put my blood, sweat and tears in my veg, so I am not taking any chances with companion planting. My Grandad swore by Nasturtium for keeping blackfly at bay....tried it and it was more like a magnet.

incase anyone is wondering about the blood part.....part my knee through the greenhouse last year and ended up with 7 stitches

[Kristen]

part my knee through the greenhouse last year and ended up with 7 stitches

You just need some Fish and Bone and you'll have amazing crops. Organic too

[Greenleaves]

You just need some Fish and Bone and you'll have amazing crops. Organic too

Very good Kristen, very good

[Scott Hogg]

Thanks for your help guys

I also had a little giggle about the blood

[Two_Sheds]

Mods, could you move this thread into the Pests & Weeds forum?

then the OP can look through the older threads of the same flavour.

[Two_Sheds]

Apart from all the above pests, we also have to net our onions & leeks against leek moth, and peas against pea moth.

Summer rasps get raspberry beetle maggots (but the autumn ones tend not to).


We're growing food, so of course summat's going to come along and eat it

[RaptorUK]

I'm investing a lot of time and cash on a pair of brassica cages to cover 16 sq meters, they will be covered with enviromesh. If all goes to plan the first of two will be assembled in place at the allotment tomorrow.

I'll get some pictures in due course

[MrsCordial]

Eek. We net the strawbs once they fruit otherwise we're guaranteed decimation, but nothing else yet. We bought very fine netting on a roll. Have never netted carrots, leeks or onions and so far never had a problem. Last year's rasp crop was from new bushes so just a handful, and didn't have much of a prob with that either (on the basis that I'm happy to sacrifice a few here and there to birds).

[Alison]

I cover all brassicas and carrots with enviromesh (or equivalent) as otherwise they'll get decimated by cabbage white or carrot fly respectively. Strawberries I put a coarser net on against the birds after the fruits have formed but never bother with the rest of my soft fruit as I have so much of the stuff and I don't mind sharing a bit.

[Kristen]

never bother with the rest of my soft fruit as I have so much of the stuff and I don't mind sharing a bit.

Me too. We do have a fair number of raspberry plants, but I've never noticed that bird damage was significant. Wasps on the other hand ...