Netting.

[Potstubsdustbins]

SWMBO went in Wilco's today and bought me some netting.

Not one I have seen before, the square openings are only 10mm across the diagonal so much smaller than the ordinary protective netting. If your interested its black and called pond and crop protection netting.

Lets see the flutterbyes get through this stuff.

[mrswadders]

thanks for the headsup on that, I need to buy some more both for brassicas and redcurrants - looks like i'm gonna have a humungous crop yay!

[Kristen]

the square openings are only 10mm across the diagonal

Lets see the flutterbyes get through this stuff.

Sadly I reckon they will fold up their wings and walk through 7mm max is the size recommended for Cabbage White butterflies (I use scaffolders debris netting which is pretty cheap)

[Bigmallly]

I use scaffolders debris netting which is pretty cheap

Likewise & I still wonder if they can squeeze through the black holes.

[Kristen]

Likewise & I still wonder if they can squeeze through the black holes.

The eyelets? I am sure they can, but I very rarely [I mean some seasons not at all] see a butterfly, or any eggs, inside, so I figure that they aren't smart enough and just crazy themselves trying to get through via the most direct route

[Bren In Pots]

I've sown up the eyelets on my debris netting I still get a bit of caterpillar damage because I'm sure the butterflies drop eggs onto the netting.

[Fleurisa]

Yep they'll get through that. I bought fine mesh netting from gardening naturally, that stops them

[Kristen]

I still get a bit of caterpillar damage because I'm sure the butterflies drop eggs onto the netting.

I don't have a problem until the plants are within range of the netting. I bought the widest netting, so it has reasonable ground clearance (about 3' ) - and my husbandry isn't good enough to grow monster brassicas - I suspect most people's Brassicas are a much more decent height than mine.

[wbmkk]

Hi,

Was about to post a question about where to buy netting, to keep off birds, when I saw this thread, which is very good.

This place seems OK, if you need a large area, but buying per metre seems the expensive option ... better to buy a set area.

Buy Butterfly Netting UK from Gardening Naturally

Does the Pound shop sell anything suitable ? I'm not sure the name, as there isn't one in my town, but there are two quite close by.

UPDATE ! Just found this

All Purpose Netting 1.5m X 6m

1.5m x 6m for £1

OK it probably won't keep butterflies out, but for the birds, probably OK

[Bren In Pots]

I don't have a problem until the plants are within range of the netting. I bought the widest netting, so it has reasonable ground clearance (about 3' ) - and my husbandry isn't good enough to grow monster brassicas - I suspect most people's Brassicas are a much more decent height than mine.

Kirsten I grow Black kale so my cage is 4ft high, its only really late in the season that it gets near to the roof so I'm still on the lookout for the odd caterpillar.

[Penellype]

I think the smaller mesh you can get the better - butterflies are not the only critturs that produce brassica eating caterpillars. Cabbage moth and silver Y moth can be equally destructive, and being moths they can squeeze through the butterfly netting. I use the veggiemesh, which I think is similar to debris netting and so far (touch wood) my cabbages have not been eaten except when the leaves touch the netting.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Just a point the 10mm measurement is as stated across the diagonal which of course makes the hole smaller than 10mm x 10mm.

[Alison]

Just a point the 10mm measurement is as stated across the diagonal which of course makes the hole smaller than 10mm x 10mm.

But still plenty of space for flutterbies to get through


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[Potstubsdustbins]

Not if the 7mm quoted above is correct. We shall see they are starting to fly round here now.

[Bigmallly]

Good luck Potty, I hope it works for you.