Insects

I have some vegetables and fruit growing out side and they are being eaten alive by insects of all kinds. are there any good products or methods to combat this?

 

I would use netting for the fruits, ie strawberries raspberries etc and poly-tunnels or cloches for the veg. I made cloches consisting of netting on wire in the shape of a cloche and put on individual plants. Mind you I do not have a large veg plot by any means, just a few veg here and there, but if I did I would make enough to cover them.

 

How green do you want your solution to be. If the creatures are large enough to pick off and you have the time then do that. Netting, although it provides one solution, may not be the best. More and more gardeners are becoming environmentally aware in a one dimensional sense thanks to the misguidance of poular gadening shows and publications. Consider alternatives, the lean to green philosophy at http://www.plotkeeping.talktalk.net is emant to get people thinking outside the box - in both senses of the word!

 

Just a thought on netting etc. My neighbours have quite alot of veg & fruit growing (small gardens we have) & they net their strawberries every year. While they were away this year i noticied some sparrows in their strawberries & was puzzled cos of the netting. They are keen gardeners so i was trying to help but the sparrows seemed to have forgotten how they got in! Anyway, spoke to neighbours when they got back & they found a little space that must have been the only place the birds got in, even though the netting was in the ground, with bricks around and everything. No holes or anything.
They will find a way if they can! Actually you've just reminden me of anothing i want to ask!!!
Good weekend all.

 

Hi everyone, thanks for those replies, i will give them a try. but i also wondered if some sort of spray or insecticide would be good. there must be some on the market that wont harm the plants or damage the fruits and veg. im sorry for all these questions im quite new to this game. :confused: