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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] agribon 15

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  • From: Pat Meadows <pat AT meadows.pair.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] agribon 15
  • Date: Fri, 09 May 2008 09:49:02 -0400

On Fri, 9 May 2008 05:30:31 -0700, you wrote:

>Do you leave the netting on until harvest or can you remove it earlier? Do
>you need to get it on right at transplanting?
>

I use it for the cole crops (brassicas) only, and we don't want them to
produce fruit. We eat the leaves (e.g., collards, kale and many Asian
greens), or the flower buds (e.g., broccoli, cauliflower) or stalks. So
pollination is not a problem for these plants.

I leave it on until harvest. I put it on right at transplanting UNLESS
we're still having really cold weather (below freezing at night) and I feel
certain that the butterflies aren't here yet. Then I can wait a little
bit... but it's really better to put it on at transplanting.

This would not work for plants that are:

a. Pollinated by insects
and
b. From which we want fruit (squashes, cukes, etc.)

But it's fine for the brassicas.

Again, the holes are large enough to admit the flies that lay eggs which
develop into beet/spinach/chard leaf miners. The holes are large enough to
admit flea beetles. But it sure does work beautifully against cabbage
butterflies and moths.

I often see the white butterflies fluttering around the plants; they can
smell or see them, obviously - but they can't get to them. Hahaha. :)
Take that, you evil butterfly! Eventually, they give up and fly away.

Pat
--
Northern Pennsylvania

CLICK DAILY TO FEED THE HUNGRY
http://www.thehungersite.com/




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