To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: [NAFEX] tulle. organza spring's coming!
Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 22:04:33 -0600
Actually, nylon net is cheaper than tulle. I used to buy 4-5 yards of nylon
net every couple of years to cover my summer squash. I'd plant seeds in a
row instead of hills, putting the netting flat on the ground at planting
time. The plants tend to lift the netting as they grow, and by the time
they get so big the netting is lifted off the ground, it's time to take it
off and let the bees pollinate the flowers and the borer proceed to try
their worst. We have actually had summer squash till we were sick of it.
Normally the borers kill the plants about the time people are really
beginning to enjoy it.
After my son's wedding we folded up and brought home all the tulle used
for decoration. Mostly I use it draped over peas and crowder peas to keep
cardinals from eating them. I clothespin it to the tops of the fence that
supports the plants. I don't have enough to use on the blueberries. One
inch bird netting helped keep birds from the middle of the row, but around
the outside they simply picked the berries through the netting.
Since the price of nylon net went up, I've checked fabric stores now and
then to see if they ever mark down weird colors or remnants. So far it
seems they do not. I always check yard sales for nylon curtains, which
serve to cover my greens in winter. Occasionally the older curtains appear
that are a fine netting instead of the very sheer nylon usually sold today.
Old volleyball nets would also be useful for bird damage control. I'm not
sure that any of these fabrics will stop squirrels. From what I have heard,
squirrrel populations are totally out of control in many towns and cities,
and the neighbors might not mind if the population were to mysteriously go
down. I think Lucky's bonbons sound like the best way to acheive that.
Donna