When to un-net?

[piskieinboots]

My cabbage and sprouts are safely hiding under netting tunnely things - which is fine whilst they are small, but at what point does it become safe to let them see the light of day without fear of pigeons chowing down on them?

Or is it never safe?

[donnakebab]

It's never safe.

As the seedlings grow make sure the netting is high enough and taught enough to stop pigeons landing and nibbling through the netting. Also stops them from getting caught up in it.

[Bren In Pots]

I have more problems with cabbage whites than I do pigeons so my brassicas are always netted.

[donnakebab]

Yes that's another good point. Make sure the netting is fine enough to keep out the cabbage whites.

[Florence Fennel]

The pigeons around here don't eat veg, but the cabbage whites do, so my netting stays on until I harvest.

[Bigmallly]

Likewise, my nets stay on. Make sure the leaves do not touch the net as the flutterbies will still lays their eggs......Funnily enough I was talking to the old guy next to me the other day and he takes the net off his sprouts when they become established.

[piskieinboots]

... I was talking to the old guy next to me the other day and he takes the net off his sprouts when they become established.

This was my thinking too

[Alison]

Mine stay covered in enviromesh until the winter threat of snow at which point I go for a coarser netting.

[Wren]

The brassicas always stay netted. Fortunately it does not have to be an elaborate netting for me. I just sling it over an peg it down loosely, our pigeons are not that determined.

I don't like the netting but needs must an all.

Wren

[Leeds_lad]

Never net myself. CD's hanging from stuff and water bottles keep all the bird problem away and cabbage white never really devastate me that much. A few nibbles here and there and that's about it.

[dominic10]

Only when they need weeding.

[binley100]

Never.....pigeons, cabbage whites and rabbits ensure that they stay under cover. Just wish netting would stop slugs as well .......

[Kaiya]

Didn't net seedlings last year and my major issue was white fly, which my level of netting wouldn't stop anyway (don't have enviromesh). This year I've added cd's and so far so ok, some munches but could be slugs as it's the ones nearest the path that have been targetted.

[kathyd]

So.. does netting (fine debris type) stop cabbage root fly too, or do I still need to collar everything??

[Alison]

So.. does netting (fine debris type) stop cabbage root fly too, or do I still need to collar everything??

Yep, stops birds, flies and everything