Enviromesh - carrot root fly - advice please!

Does it work?
Better than fleece?
Where can you buy garden-sized sheets of it?
How do you set it up?
Any disadvantages?
Anything better?
--
Chris

On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 12:21:55 +0100, Chris ] wrote:

Enviromesh - carrot root fly - advice please!

Does it work?
Better than fleece?
Where can you buy garden-sized sheets of it?
How do you set it up?
Any disadvantages?
Anything better?

It's better than fleece in as much as it's tougher.
Fleece is very fine mesh, intended to act as both an insect barrier
and as protection against light frosts - but it tends to rot after a
season.
The mesh won't give the frost protection, but will keep out the bugs.

Carrot and onion root fly approach the crops at or near ground level -
so the principle of the mesh is that it forces the flies up or around
the mesh, thus missing your crops. From what I've seen, a wall about
2ft high is considered plenty high enough to protect the crops, and
there's no need to run the mesh over the top - though simply draping
the mesh over the crops, supported by a few poles is a quick method of
protection.

The only disadvantage I've come across is that if it's a fixed setup
it can be a bit of a pain to get to the crops to weed/harvest. Might
be an idea to make at least one section removable.

Nothing better really - unless you fancy growing a small box hedge
around your carrot patch!

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 12:21:55 +0100, Chris ] wrote:

~Enviromesh - carrot root fly - advice please!
~
~Does it work?

I'll let you know in a few months I hope so...

~Better than fleece?

If you don't want to replace each year and hate how muddy fleece gets
and you want to attach to a frame, probably. You can water through it
and keep it suspended over the crop so it's probably better for the
seedlings. Fleece tears. However, fleece definitely keeps out the
flies and some frost, but goes soggy and muddy. Tried it, crop failed
badly (2002) so not doing that again!

~Where can you buy garden-sized sheets of it?

see http://www.agralan.co.uk/insect.pest.html
This is the garden/home users side of their site. There is a bit for
industrial users if you really want a big sheet :-) otherwise you're
stuck at 3 x 1.75m and £16+

~How do you set it up?

Either throw over the ground or pin to a frame. The piccies in
http://www.moonbells.freeserve.co.uk.../april_04.html
shows mine, and you can laugh at my lottie diary while you're at it...
Mind you, someone is. My new hit counter's gone mad recently.

~Any disadvantages?

You can't cut a sheet to size - it's woven mesh and if you cut it, it
unravels like coarse material only worse - it doesn't hem and is
plastic so just keeps unravelling...
Also it's fairly expensive. If I hadn't tried umpteen other solutions
I wouldn't have bought it. Now I've got the frame done, I'm pleased
with it.

Mind you, if we get leek moths soon (probable, given my location) I'll
probably end up with the whole lottie covered in the stuff.

~Anything better?
I've heard old net curtains are good... if you have any big enough.
Try jumble sales!

Good luck...
--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!

On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 14:41:17 +0000 (UTC),
(jane) wrote:


~Anything better?
I've heard old net curtains are good... if you have any big enough.
Try jumble sales!

Woah! Tip of the year!!!

Cheers,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk