Hey everyone! I'm new to gardening and live in zone 7a, dealing with all sorts of critters like deer, rabbits, gophers, and squirrels. Last season, I had issues with hornworms attacking my tomatoes and peppers. I'm considering using insect mesh to keep bugs away but am wondering if that would interfere with pollination. I've built a PVC frame to cover my garden beds and plan to clip the mesh onto it. What insect mesh do you recommend, and do you have any tips for using it for plants like tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries, bell peppers, chilis, herbs, marigolds, watermelon, onions, carrots, and garlic? Thanks in advance!
3 Answers
If hornworms are your main concern, you might not need to mess with the insect netting. Sometimes an occasional spray of BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) works wonders against those pesky larvae. They’re usually easy to spot, and the good news is that tomatoes and peppers will still self-pollinate, even with the cover. Just remember that using mesh might keep pollinators away from your marigolds too, so think about how you're setting it up!
I think it depends on which plants you're covering. I've skipped netting for tomatoes and peppers since they usually do alright, but I've had issues with rabbits getting into my strawberries and brassicas before. I made a PVC hoop house and used fine insect netting I bought on Amazon, which works pretty well. If you're worried about bigger pests, just make sure the netting is secured properly—those critters can cause some serious damage!
I agree! Securing the netting is key. I use special clips for my greenhouse setup, and it really helps to keep things tight.
For tomatoes, good news! They can self-pollinate just fine, so a mesh cover shouldn't be a problem. They just need some wind movement for that. As for the other plants, you might want to net the ones that attract more pests like strawberries and blueberries, but tomatoes and herbs can go without it. It might help to focus on keeping pests at bay without blocking out the pollinators for those.
Exactly! Plus, I've noticed that if the mesh is too tight, it can reduce airflow, which isn't great for the plants. Just keep that in mind!