Veg Protection - confused!!

[gabbiecod]

Hi, complete newbie here. I would really appreciate it if someone could help me out here. I live in N Ireland and I am about to build 4 x (1m square) raised beds with hoops. Weather here is cold, wet and windy most of the year around - what is summer type thing . Not only that, but with the wall and the shed, the plot is a bit of a windtrap.
Anyway, I would really like to grow a variety of veg (including peppers, courgettes, aubergines and tomatoes ) and some strawberries. I'll have the help of a propagator to start me off, but it is the afterwards that worries me. There are 3 protection materials that I've kind of narrowed it down to - enviromesh, envirotect and ecogreen's aerated polythene blanket. I'm so confused as to when to use them though. I've read up enough to know that the polythene will be useful for some types of veg, but will it be warm enough due to the perforations? Exactly which veg though? Also, it won't keep out pesky insects, so can I lay eviromesh over it or is that overkill? When and for how long can I use envirotect? I've read it is the equiv to 17g fleece, but it is also beneficial to leave it on for quite a while for some veg. If the weather is truly shocking, can I use envirotect and enviromesh at the same time?
Sorry if these questions are completely daft, but I'm going around in circles trying to find the answer. Thanks for your time.

[Sanjo]

Welcome to the vine Gabbiecod. I only have experience of my local area which is relatively mild and dry compared to yours, so I can only say that fleece and polythene have been my standby. I am certain that others in your situation will be able to answer you more fully. It is confusing when you are a beginner (as I know!) but I'm sure you'll get lots of answers to your quetions on here. NEVER be afraid to ask on the basis that it sounds daft. There are probably a lot of us lurking wondering the same thing!! Good luck with it anyway. Sandra

[snohare]

From my experience, I'd expect that you would find that enviromesh, because it is so good at cutting wind, would do you for most crops. But some, such as more Mediterranean/subtropical plants - tomatoes, squashes, okra and the like...they would really need to be under glass or at the least plastic, I would think.

[Capsid]

The aubergines and peppers should be in a greenhouse ideally, perhaps you can get a mini plastic one?

The courgettes and tomatoes will grow outside without too much protection, choose varieties suited to cooler weather. I grew sub-arctic plenty toms last year outside; the name kinda gives it away.

As for strawberries, aren't the best grown in Scotland anyway?

So my advice is to grow varieties suited to your climate rather than trying to change the climate. Having said all that, and to answer your specific question, I have used environmesh which is quite sturdy and long lasting and will protect your plants from wind and pests well. The others I've not used.

ETA: just looked at environtect, looks like environmesh to me. The blanket looks similar too but big holes that might rip eventually. They all look as though they will be up to the job and I wouldn't agonise over one being better than the other.

[gabbiecod]

Thanks for your replies and to Sandra for the nice welcome. I realise that I am probably being too ambitious with the aubergines and peppers, but I was kind of hoping that it may be possible.
Envirotect does indeed look like enviromesh, but it is supposed to be a much more durable fleece than envirofleece and essentially should be treated as fleece. Somewhere it is written down that it should only be used for up to 8 weeks in cooler weather.
I was wondering whether anyone has ever used any of these products in conjunction with each other and kept fleece on for longer than the recommended time, due to rotten weather? I am envious of anyone who doesn't need to!!

[gabbiecod]

Just in case anyone is interested, I phoned the manufacturer to ask advice and enviromesh is the best all-rounder since it also protects against wind and cold - pretty much as you advised Capsid and snohare . I'm just going to buy that and forget the envirotect I think. For the record, he did say that envirotect can be left on all season and that you can use envirotect and enviromesh together (but you probably wouldn't need to). Hope this of help to someone (I can stop dithering now and finally order something!).

I have to say I am ultra-nervous about starting and I think that all this research is just a way of postponing the actual growing . Fantastic advice on here as well...I could literally just read it all day and daydream!

[Sanjo]

I have to say I am ultra-nervous about starting and I think that all this research is just a way of postponing the actual growing . Fantastic advice on here as well...I could literally just read it all day and daydream![/QUOTE]

But then, Gabbiecod - you'd get nothing done!!!!

[magz.mccarthy]

Thanks for the follow up gabbie, I have been wondering the same thing myself which is the best to use.

[gabbiecod]

Thanks for the follow up gabbie, I have been wondering the same thing myself which is the best to use.

no probs. Glad it helped.

Sanjo - exactly!! If it would only just warm up a bit, I would be a lot more motivated! Right now it's baltic .

[gojiberry]

My daughter has same problems as she lives on the west coast of Scotland. She lost her first greenhouse the week after it was put up, she now has a rhino and it has with stood everything so far. Long term you might think about a planting a food hedge, that is a hedge that will reduce the wind effect but will also give you something back in the form of produce. There are companies that specialise in them and you buy it by the metre. It includes some stout stock like crab apples and damsons I think.

Ian

[gabbiecod]

Unfortunately the space I have is just too tight gojiberry, although I would love to grow crabapples or nuts. I may just remove the wysteria when my husband isn't looking (its never flowered )

[Eco-Chic]

Thanks for your replies and to Sandra for the nice welcome. I realise that I am probably being too ambitious with the aubergines and peppers...

Peppers are as easy to grow as tomatoes. Just don't leave them on the plant to turn red as it will stop further production.

Aubergine needs a long growing period. I didn't get a fruit last year but I was very late and it wasn't much of a summer. I'll be trying again this year.

I haven't used enviromesh and hadn't heard of envirotect so your thread was very useful to me.

[gabbiecod]

Thanks for the advice Eco-Chic. I really need to get started on those aubergines in the propagator today I think, otherwise I'm just asking for trouble.