Netting to Cover Garden Plants

Protect your fruits and vegetables by covering them with netting.

Birds are a nuisance to many gardeners. Birds eat berries, small fruits and vegetables. Prevent birds from eating your produce by covering the plants with netting. Choose from one of several kinds of netting, depending on your needs and the size of your produce.

Garden Fabric

Some garden fabrics are also called shade fabrics. These fabrics allow some sunlight and a lot of air to come through to the plants. They also deter pests, such as birds and insects, from getting to your plants. If your plants are tender and the weather extremely hot, garden fabric also provides shade and a respite from the heat. This garden fabric is easy to place and then remove, even on a daily basis. Rocks or tent stakes hold the fabric in place.

Tulle

Tulle is an inexpensive fabric. It is most often used for weddings or for making slips that help skirts look puffy. Tulle is available in most sizes. If necessary, purchase two long pieces of tulle and sew them together to create a larger piece of fabric suitable for covering the trees in your garden. The tulle allows plenty of sunlight and moisture to get in without allowing the pests to eat your produce.

Cheesecloth

Cheesecloth is most commonly used in cooking. It holds food for draining. The holes in the cheesecloth are tiny and do not allow birds to stick their beaks through to get to your garden plants. Cheesecloth works best for smaller plants, especially plants growing in containers.

Netting

Purchase a standard net with the smallest holes to help protect your plants. Find these at stores specializing in hunting equipment. The netting is often camouflaged, so it blends in more with your garden than will other garden netting fabrics. The netting comes in large pieces suitable for covering entire rows in your vegetable garden, berry bushes or even fruit trees. Purchasing netting with holes small enough to deter animals is the key when using this type of netting to cover your garden plants.

References

• Gardener's Supply Company: Using Garden Fabric
• "Southern Living Garden Guide: Vegetables"; Jennifer Greer; 1996
• "The Bountiful Container"; Rose Marie Nichols McGee, et al.; 2002