[Goldfinger]

I'm about to obtain a roll of horticultural fleece, the stuff you see in farmers fields covering swede.
There'll be about 100m of it, 2m wide so my idea is...

I've got a load of 2x2x 4ft lengths of timber off my dad and I've thought about building a frame so high, then using water pipe or similar to make the top/roof.
and so have a 'walk in kind of not poly, but fleece tunnel'

Hope my explaination makes sense without a diagram  :blink: :blink:

What do others think?

Obviously it won't be warm like a poly or green house. but do you think it'll keep pests, flying weed seeds etc out??

[flitwickone]

i imaging it would what are you going to grow

[Goldfinger]

I'm sticking to outdoor stuff this year, pots, cabbage, peas, etc. It's my first full year at it, so I'll learn to walk before I can run so to speak, can't afford a proper poly' yet. 

Unless I win......

[flitwickone]

good luck with it and keep us informed

[sunshineband]

Just remember that some plants need pollination and insect proof fleece won't help this 

[BostonInbred]

Also, the more air under the fleece the less efficient it works. Thats whay the best strategy is to lay it on top of the plants and thus reducing the air mass.

You need a thermometer inside and out so you can see the difference it makes. Be interesting to know.........

[Goldfinger]

Just remember that some plants need pollination and insect proof fleece won't help this 

What if i changed the sides to the 2cm mesh so pollinating insects can get in but keep the birds out??

Just also spoken to my dad today he's just bought a chemical called 'tople', he's used it for about 2 seasons now and says it's great for keeping brassica munching bugs off.

Anyone else heard of/used it? After reading other replies, it may not be a good idea to totally enclose the 'tunnel' with fleece.

[savbo]

Just remember that some plants need pollination and insect proof fleece won't help this 

What if i changed the sides to the 2cm mesh so pollinating insects can get in but keep the birds out??

Just also spoken to my dad today he's just bought a chemical called 'tople', he's used it for about 2 seasons now and says it's great for keeping brassica munching bugs off.

Anyone else heard of/used it? After reading other replies, it may not be a good idea to totally enclose the 'tunnel' with fleece.

tried googling tople and most of the links were for topless! 

[Goldfinger]

He got his from the local lotty acc.

Never said anything about vacant plots tho 

[Brambles]

I have tried using mini fleece tunnels for protecion against cabbage whites, blackfly etc...  It was unsuccessful in the wind and against foxes and pigeons that enjoyed playing in the stuff!!!   My guess is that with a larger tunnel, the wind would be your main enemy!

[Goldfinger]

Thanks for all the replies and advice, just thought it would've been a good idea because of the pesky wood pigeons etc. 

I've seen similar set-ups on some lottys and thought they were fleece but I must have been mistaken and  they have been built with mesh then???

[sunshineband]

You could try debris netting

[Goldfinger]

You could try debris netting

Is that the same stuff as scaffold netting, what size roughly are the holes??

[sunshineband]

Yes it is the same. The holes are small enough to keep out insects 

[Fen]

I start off with fleece laid on the plants, earth on the sides for carrots to keep the fly out.  For cabbages etc., I got some old galvanised pig wire , 4ft high with 6 inch sqaure holes, and bent it into an inverted U shape and put the fleece on that tucking the edges underneath. Keeps off bids and butteflies.