Battling to prevent butterflies
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- margo - newbie
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Battling to prevent butterflies
Is a 7mm x 5mm net sufficient? Last year I used 7mm square net and they got through with a struggle. Even t,bough I diligently squashed the eggs etc. the crop was still damaged. Thanks.
- diggernotdreamer
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Re: Battling to prevent butterflies
In my experience, enviromesh or fleece is the only this that really keeps them out, they seem to be able to squeeze through most nets
Re: Battling to prevent butterflies
THe problem with nets is that they're made of holes. Butterflies can easily lay their eggs wherever the net contacts the plant. Diggernotdreamer is right - the only way to make sure is fleece.
Mike
Mike
The secret of life is to aim below the head (With thanks to MMM)
Re: Battling to prevent butterflies
....or you could make a structure like a small fruit cage with butterfly netting.
Or go completely anal and do what I do, grow them in a polytunnel with mesh doors.
Or go completely anal and do what I do, grow them in a polytunnel with mesh doors.
Tony
Disclaimer: I almost certainly haven't a clue what I'm talking about.
Disclaimer: I almost certainly haven't a clue what I'm talking about.
- PAUL1SH
- margo - newbie
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Re: Battling to prevent butterflies
I had terrible problems with butterflies last year . I was going to purchase some of that finer netting that scaffolders use to prevent debris but alas that's another item on my 'to do' list that I never got round to doing in spring.
- diggernotdreamer
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Re: Battling to prevent butterflies
The green scaffold netting is what I call shading, it is ok but it will shade plants down by 30% which is great for lettuce and sometimes I use it to prevent my onions bolting in the heat, but it has huge holes down the seams so the butterflies can get in there, anal is the only way to go I'm afraid (shutup Doofa)
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- A selfsufficientish Regular
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Re: Battling to prevent butterflies
Make sure bees can get through, otherwise nothing will get pollinated (if it needs pollinators of course ) :D
The Mothers of teens now know why some animals eat their young!
- doofaloofa
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Re: Battling to prevent butterflies
Good point Bonnie girls
And anal is the only way to go
And anal is the only way to go
ina wrote: die dümmsten Bauern haben die dicksten Kartoffeln
- diggernotdreamer
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Re: Battling to prevent butterflies
I knew you wouldn't let me downdoofaloofa wrote: And anal is the only way to go
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- A selfsufficientish Regular
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Re: Battling to prevent butterflies
doofaloofa wrote:Good point Bonnie girls
And anal is the only way to go
Anal!!!
The Mothers of teens now know why some animals eat their young!
- doofaloofa
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Re: Battling to prevent butterflies
I am fighting an internal battle not to sig that
ina wrote: die dümmsten Bauern haben die dicksten Kartoffeln
- Carltonian Man
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Re: Battling to prevent butterflies
Scaffolding companies dispose of (pay for disposal of) debris netting after just a couple of uses and so most are quite happy to let it go to a gardener who asks politely. I got hold of absolutely loads, some holey and used but mostly 50m x 2m with hardly a mark on it. The tie-down eyelets can be a problem but as a freebie it was certainly worth the time and effort to sew them up prior to use. With any luck it should last years. I've also made a smart-looking fence the length of the lotty that serves as a wind break and catches loads of air-borne fluffy seeds from my neighbours weed infested plotPAUL1SH wrote:I had terrible problems with butterflies last year . I was going to purchase some of that finer netting that scaffolders use to prevent debris but alas that's another item on my 'to do' list that I never got round to doing in spring.