brassica netting

[hawthorns]

i need some advice on building and using netting for covering brassica crops. what are fellow gardeners using

[shirlthegirl43]

I have scaffold debris netting which I bought from LBS Garden Warehouse.

Buy discount gardening equipment online - Garden Warehouse

That reminds me - must get Madmax to make a frame to suit this year's brassica bed

[Gwyndy]

I made some wooden frames about 1.8M x 1M and covered these with wire netting. Each year I arrange them in a one wide x two long rectangle (6 frames in total) and screw them together. Brassicas are planted inside this cage and plastic netting secured over the top.

[hawthorns]

any pics would be great

[FionaH]

I have enviromesh over mine. Placed over blue mdpe piping if you do a search for netting there are lots of pics

[Mrs Dobby]

Piccy as requested!

[Demeter]

I have net curtains (a collection, some second hand, some bought new from Ikea for £2 per 2 large curtains). One brassica bed has a frame made of bamboo canes and "flexi balls" - would not necessarily recommend this as it is not very sturdy, would be OK for a sheltered site - braced mine with string and that helped. I plan to use the blue pipe for the other bed, but haven't yet sorted that out.

[sweetiepea]

This year I'm trying netting bought from Harrod Horticulture on the net (excuse the pun), in the hope that it'll keep those blasted cabbage whites off my plants.

I usually support my netting on hula-hoops bought from the local toyshop! I use those that have their ends wedged into a small piece of plastic tubing, which is easy to remove. The hoops are cheap, last for years and, depending on the design you choose, are eye catching too.

[hawthorns]

im thinking of using blue piping with debris netting

[janeyo]

I've got net curtains on mine, sewn together. With that blue pipe making the hoops under it and canes between the lengths to give it a bit more support.

[Scottishnewbie]

I got some net curtains from IKEA at the weekend which were less than £4 for TWO curtains and were really quite large. Have put them over blue waterpipe fixed onto canes and think that'll do the trick well enough for this year.....time will tell.....

[StephenH]

Whatever you do, secure it at the bottom, and stretch it fairly tight at the top. I didn't, and they got nibbled just as though the netting wasn't there. I should've paid attention to what the books say. Apparantly, if it's too slack, pigeons perch on it and peck the plants through the netting.

[matthew2riches]

I normally buy scaffold netting by the roll and sell it to other plot holders by the meter. I have also seen people use old net curtains and duvet covers as a fleece type material.

[Alison]

Have invested in some enviromesh this year so fingers crossed it will do the trick. My brassicas aren't out yet (only tend to grow them for winter use) so not an issue (yet!)

[Edwardo82]

Nice thread and yes a concern of mine at the moment, I have only just put some cabbage out in the Brassica bed but I am worried about protecting them.

I was going to build a frame out of bamboo canes and then cover them in horticultural fleece. Building smaller frames and doing the planting in blocks each with its own cover.