[kingdhesiii]

As been fairly new to this game I was wondering what crops people see as a must to net / cover and which crops people tend to leave alone so to speak.

[Trillium]

Most berries need to be netted from birds as well as cherries; red is just too irresistible to them. New shoots of peas, onions and garlic will either be eaten or pulled out by pigeons in particular, as well as a few other birds. All brassicas, (sprouting broccoli, cabbages, etc) against cabbage butterflies, carrots against carrot fly (provided the mesh is fine enough). Not sure if anyone has had great success netting against slugs though.

[lucywil]

i net the brassicas, except the kale, and i have a carrot bed that i cover with enviromesh. i put some netting over the strawberries once they start fruiting but thats all, i dont cover any of my other fruit.

[green fingers]

I'm with the others on this.  When I first started my allotment I just watched what the more experienced members were doing and followed their lead.  You learn an awful lot by just looking

[Loubs]

Popped up to the site yesterday evening - saw a beautiful pheasant working it's way along someone's row of peas, plucking them out one by one - think they're after the worms & grubs that come up with the roots!

[green fingers]

Loubs - We have a resident pheasant too - it may be beautiful to look at - but I could ring its neck!  It caught me out the first year I was working the plot - took all the rows of peas. What with this blooming pheasant, pigeons and the rabbit situation I've had to rabbit proof my whole plot - cost a fortune - oh the joys of allotmenteering

[Ice]

What an unpleasant pheasant.

[green fingers]

 

[Missy1970]

My allotment site is just outside the back of my house I have seen a pheasant wondering round but no sign recently however a couple of ducks have taking a liking to the black plastic sheet which my neighbour is using to keep half his plot covered.

[massa]

is debri netting fine enough to stop carrot root fly??

[Elcie]

is debri netting fine enough to stop carrot root fly??

Apparently not, it would need to be enviromesh for the CRF although debris netting is apparently ok for cabbage whites.

[kingdhesiii]

If a lot of the problems seem to be protecting young shoots etc then is it not better to start everything in modules so they get a healthy start and then transplant out.

[Trillium]

Plants in modules will reach a certain size and then start stressing out due to cramping,and that will attract still more insect pests who are sensitive to this. The main problem with most protected crops is that birds and rabbits love the younger shoots and if they don't chew them, they pull them out. Plants need to be quite established for root systems to hold them in. And by that time you've got other pests like cabbage butterfly laying eggs and consuming crops. Carrot flies will really mess your carrots if they get in to the point of chucking out the lot.