Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi there, Today i have been given a few lettuce plants to put on the allotment, i have put them in the GH untill i have created their home. He said i will need to protect them from the pigeons etc and to create a netting frame to put over them - has anyone got any good advice on how to make a decent one??? not sure weather to use net, wire etc...
thanks
Sarah

I find that slugs are more of a problem that pigeons.

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Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

eek, i had not thought of that one.....

I make my cages from ash (hazel would be equally good) branches. Bend them into a semi-circle and push the ends in. A little trial and error will show you how thick the branches should be, but about as thick as my little finger does the job for me. I place them about 2' apart and they support mesh perfectly. I never bother to protect lettuces, but I do have to net summer and winter cabbages against butterflies.

See if you can get any old metal framed tables, you know the ones they use in schools and canteens. Take the top off and you have a perfect frame for cable tying netting to. Use a fine mesh for things that don't need pollinating. Fruit cage netting, I find that butterflies can still get through.
To do the weeding, just lift the frames off and put them back afterwards.

had mine under mini polytunnels in the raised beds,have now taken it off but might be putting it back on due to ensuing slugs me thinks.

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joanne culyer

Slugs will get in your polytunnels - they dig under the soil. The warm moist atmosphere of a polytunnel will actually attract more of them, sorry

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