[mumofstig]

Do you know anyone throwing out old 'voile' net curtains. They're fine enough to keep the fly off (not your grannies flowery ones.....too many holes in those! )

[DD.]

You can use fleece, but enviromesh will last years.

Got mine from here:

http://www.gardening-naturally.com/acatalog/Enviromesh.html

[Kristen]

Thanks for the link - they seem to have it covered

They have also got some decent widths - my fleece is too narrow to cover the 4' beds, so I have to bodge two strips (keep meaning to get Mrs K to machine them for me ...)

[Lupin lurcher]

I will use the batton idea with plastic hoops for support.  Looked at the link for enviromesh DD thanks very much, the price isnt to bad seeing it lasts 10 years, will have a proper measure up taking into account it has to be raised and order some.  Mandy.

[fatbelly]

Last year after reading of other's experience with Enviromesh, tried it - no fly at all.

DD, i have had a very similar experience with carrots to you and this year I have purchased some Enviromesh fromm the same website that you got yours from.  How do you support your Enviromesh and how do you 'seal' the bottom where it touches the soil so the fly can't get under the mesh.

Apart from weeding  the soil did you have to remove the mesh for watering, the packaging on my mesh says water will get through, is this the case?
Thanks FB

[mumofstig]

Total enclosure. Supported it with shortish lengths of battens,  but blue water pipe could lend itself to this project.

and you can water through it, if the rain doesn't do the job for you

I hold the bottom down with a few spare bricks or big stones, failing that some water in a milk bottle works, if you don't want to buy the pegs they sell for the job.

[DD.]

I think my reply has been covered!

But just to underline, I support with battens banged into the ground & weigh it down with milk bottles filled with water.

Don't forget to grow your parsnips under it as well!

[Bluedave]

Would bamboo canes support it?

[prakash_mib]

I acquired a bath tub before Christmas to put in my garden to grow some vegetables. Actually it is for my 4 year old to try. and he is verymuch interested and collected some carrot and brocolli seeds.
for Top soil I would go to the local trade-it site and search for topsoil. I had a nice topsoil filled for free.
and for the enviromesh option I have a brand new mosquito net (why did we buy it??  :blink: ) bought for our son's nursery which we never used and I have indicated the baroness that it will go to garden this year.

[Kristen]

I have water pipe (eBay) cut to about 50% more than the bed width, formed as an arch, and then pushed canes about 2' long into the ground and push the pipe onto those.

Used with scaffolding debris netting (eBay)  to keep the flutterbys off, and also with fleece  (eBay) and ... planned to use with Enviromesh this year.

There are some pictures on my blog showing my 9year old constructing it all

[garddwr]

I have water pipe (eBay) cut to about 50% more than the bed width, formed as an arch, and then pushed canes about 2' long into the ground and push the pipe onto those.

Used with scaffolding debris netting (eBay)  to keep the flutterbys off, and also with fleece  (eBay) and ... planned to use with Enviromesh this year.

There are some pictures on my blog showing my 9year old constructing it all

Do you need to keep the butterflies off carrots and parsnips ?

[Kristen]

No, sorry, I didn't describe that very well.

I built the hoops to keep Cabbage White butterflies off my Brassicas and to use for fleece in early spring, but I think they will do well for Enviromesh too.

[Lupin lurcher]

Hi Kristen, I have just had a look at your blog am very impressed, as a complete novice I found the section of seed sowing very usefull. Well done. Mandy

[Kristen]

Thanks