John Vanini wrote:
You're absolutely right, Broadback! I'd forgotten but that's roughly what I
do for my cabbages, lettuces, in fact all my vulnerable young crops - except
strawberries because they are planted in a very wide raised bed and it's
easier to do what I first suggested - because the netting is then all at the
same height across the bed.

For all other crops, I use 20mm blue water pipe, cut to the right length to
suit two rows and then 15mm (I think that's the size it is) grey pipe cut
shorter to suit one row. The 15mm would do in both cases but, where I live,
I can't find it in any of the DIY stores so I'm stuck with the small amount
of 15mm dia size that I bought some years ago - but then it does last
forever!

To hold the hoops in place, I use bamboo, cut to about 12" in length with
two of these tapped into the ground (about half-way), where I think best.
The ends of the plastic water pipe are then pushed over two bits of bamboo
to form a hoop. The bamboo is better if it's smaller in diameter than the
i/d of the pipe as it can get accidentally pushed up inside and jam in place
making it almost impossible to get it out without cutting the pipe.

I then use as many hoops as I feel I want, putting them as close or as far
apart as needed in order to support the netting.

I use both netting and fleece depending on what I'm trying to do and the
sides are then held down to the ground by various means, including stones or
bricks or you can buy pegs designed for that purpose, from garden centres.

I like this method better than the bought fleece tunnels because I have
found that the fleece can deteriorate and tear during the year. I also have
better control over the width and height of the hoops, which sometimes is a
godsend.

Broadback's method is not exactly the method I use, but it's basically the
same and the electric plastic pipe won't rot - so I may well change to using
that myself.

It's not my idea - I got it from the other allotment holders when I took on
an allotment about two years ago.

As regards the netting, I found, on the Internet a company called Haxnicks,
which produces a fine netting called "EcoGreenMicromesh". It seems to be
made of nylon rather than plastic (though they don't seem to say) and
should, so they say, last for ten years, if looked after. It's very
reasonably priced for the size of the sheet and is fine enough to keep out,
so they again say, cabbage root fly, carrot fly, white fly, onion fly, flea
beetle, vine weevil, aphids, bees, wasps, cutworm and other caterpillars,
moths and butterflies, and others. It will also keep the birds off.

I've only used it on my carrots, so far, but I've had no problem with them
this year.
.
Hope this helps!

John





"Broadback" wrote in message
...

Perhaps not just a few inches, but simple to make and easy to move. I use
plastic electric wire conduit and blue water piping. Cut 2 lengths of
conduit to suit, insert into a length of piping to suit, push the free end
of each pipe into the edge of the bed, repeat once, or more, depending on
the length of the bed. You now have hoops across your bed over which can
be laid the netting. If you have a fine net it will even keep the cabbage
butterflies off. A cost effective and long lasting solution I find,
especially if you lash out for good quality netting, not the plastic
stuff.

Sorry Davy, my explanation was poor. The conduit is pushed partly into
the ends of the pipe, this forms a U of suitable length, the conduits
forming the straight legs which are pushed into the ground, the piping
the curved part upon which the net is laid. Is that better?