If you’re sick of those pesky cabbage white butterflies from munching all your brassicas before you even get a chance to water them, then this netting structure is for you! Building a netted structure for brassicas could just save them from attack long enough for you to get an actual harvest!
Cabbage white butterflies love laying their eggs on brassica plants. This is because the caterpillar babies are absolutely ravenous and need to eat a LOT. Brassicas are a particular delicacy of theirs and they just can’t get enough of them.
WHAT THE HECK IS A BRASSICA?
If you’re not sure what plants I’m talking about, brassicas include broccoli, sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage. All of these plants belong to the brassica family, or to be fancy, the cruciferous family. Brassicas are one of the most cultivated family of vegetables in the world and absolutely full of vitamins and goodness for us humans!
WHY A NET?
Netting brassicas will keep out cabbage white butterflies who will lay their eggs on your plants and allow their caterpillar babies to demolish them! The net needs to be small, around 4-7mm so as not to allow butterflies through. They are often marketed as ‘butterfly nets’.
Might I suggest using insectonet from Andermatt Home and Garden. It’s 100% plastic free and biodegrades over two years. It not only protects from butterflies but also from frost and other small pests. It allows rain and airflow through.
HOW TO BUILD A NETTED STRUCTURE
If you’ve hung around allotment plots for long enough, you might have noticed strange blue piping around the place. What is it and why is it used?
Well it’s water piping and can be picked up from local hardware shops for fairly cheap. It’s strong, durable and looks pretty fancy on your plot too (always good to make it look like you know what you’re doing!)
STEP BY STEP
- Cut your blue piping to size by measuring it against your raised bed. Make sure to consider the height of your brassica plants before cutting the pipe.
2. Push in some canes or metal poles either end of your raised bed and slide the ends of the piping over to keep them in place.
3. consider putting a cane across the middle of the piping to keep it all in place and stop it from swaying about.
4. Throw over your netting ensure that it reaches the floor all the way around your bed. Butterflies are very good at finding their way in, so check for holes and tears too!
5. secure your netting to the structure using clips, rocks or even a few pegs dug in to the ground.
WHEN TO PLANT BRASSICAS
If you’ve sown some brassicas in the early spring, stick them in the ground as soon as they start getting their true leaves. Brassicas can handle a little cold, but won’t get growing until the weather warms up when they will experience a bit of a growth spurt!
You can sow another batch of brassicas in the early Autumn and keep them over most of the winter on your plot so you can keep harvesting all year round!
I hope this gives you an idea for protecting your brassicas this year. Just don’t forget to protect against those blooming slugs and snails too!!
