veg beds under canopy of oak trees

[Littlemouse]

For the next two months I am going to seriously regret trying to grow vegetables/garden in a v small garden adjoined by three oak trees. The canopy is mostly high so can deal with things in summer but I wish there was a neat and visually appealing way of netting the beds which didn't cost a fortune and which didn't upset the neighbours who like to keep a very shiop shape and attractive garden.

I think I will have to start thinking long term and consider investing in some of those kit fruit cages topped off with a rigid plastic sheet of some sort.

Oak leaves are bad enough (although eventually useful) but its the twiggy bits that get stuck in the netting etc...

[SarzWix]

If your beds need to be covered, for whatever reason, then I can't see what the neighbours have to do with it? As long as whatever you use is properly secured so it doesn't end up in their garden, it's up to you what you use!
You could buy timber and make a frame and staple netting to that, or just invest in some cloche hoops. Harrod Horticultural do some that are quite tall and wide, but they're a bit pricey IMO. Enviromesh might be the answer to the twiggy bits - the holes aren't big enough to get anything caught in.

[womble]

Why are you netting the beds at the moment?
Brassica protection is the only thing I can think of and you can't have that many can you?

I've never thought of any type of netting as being visually unattractive tbh

As Sarz says, enviromesh over water pipe works well.

And if your neighbours complain, tell em it's your garden and you'll keep it how you like thankyou.

[Littlemouse]

Why are you netting the beds at the moment?
Brassica protection is the only thing I can think of and you can't have that many can you?

Many thanks for your responses.

Sorry Womble I'm not sure I understand what you mean when you write 'you can't have that many can you?'

[womble]

You can't have that many brassicas, that you need to worry about some twigs coming down on the netting over them, can you?

Or you can't have that many, that if you wanted to net them with expensive enviromesh, it wouldn't cost that much.

You can probably take off the netting now anyway if it's brassicas you are talking about, you never did say.

[ilikesoup]

canopy of oak trees

We also hav 3 huge oak trees towering over a 7ft fence by our garden. Alot of shade after half 3 however had gr8 results with veg that doesnt want to be frazzled! (lettuce lettuce and more lettuce!) plus we get some nice morning sunshine. The twigs hav never really been a prob as i just pick out the larger bits for compost/firepit & the small bits are free organic matter as far as i'm concerned i haven't netted any of the beds this year, jus let nature take its course i'm quite a casual gardener lol

[Sue]

My hen plot is under a ginormous oak tree but luckily doesn't impede the sun till late afternoon.

I've got veg growing underneath and have got used to the hail of twigs and leaves. And the getting stuck in the netting. A more rigid netting is better, I've found.
But it's also a useful extra harvest! Twigs go to powering my kelly kettle in winter and leaves go in the leaf mould bin or in big heaps in the hen run for them to kick around, find insects and slugs and then when nicely broken up and mixed with poo go in the compost bin.

Sue