Quote:
Originally Posted by greenthumbomaha
That is a very nice set up brownrex, and I think I have seen that photo or something similar in another thread. I tried to save a step and used a frost blanket but the plants didn't seem to be heading so I switched to this insect fabric. I switched to tulle after the fabric was shredded by hail. There were times where everything blew off, hence the invasion of the white butterfly.
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It appears that your covering was not weighted down and that there were gaps allowing pests to enter under the cover. Note that I hold mine down with bricks.
I grow nice, bug free cabbage and cauliflower using this method. I do use organic slug baits but no bt because if you keep the butterflies out with a cover then there will be no worms to kill with bt.
These are this year's cabbages:
20190607_192047 by
Brownrexx, on Flickr
and a cauliflower from last year.
DSC00663 by
Brownrexx, on Flickr
bower I use a craft type fabric that is sold in the bridal veil department of fabric stores. It comes in many colors but I like green. It is fairly cheap and durable if you are careful with it. I have torn holes in it when it gets hooked on my wire support but then I took a needle and thread and repaired the tear. The fabric that I am currently using is about 4 years old and I like it better than the floating row covers because I can see through it and watch over my plants. It also allows more water and light through. Tulle would be a fabric with smaller holes but the holes in the stuff I use are small enough to exclude cabbage butterflies. They would not exclude aphids but I don't have any trouble with those.