best tight mesh bird/insect netting for minimal heat retention

10 years ago

hi y'all.

spring is just about upon us in my neck of the woods and i'll be damned if i let the mockingbirds decimate my tomato crop again this year.

i was looking into a suitable covering to toss over my tomato plants that would retain zero heat but that also has a small enough mesh to keep prodding, pecking beaks at bay.

i have quite a few tomato plants. at first i looked at standard bird netting like this one here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Factory-Direct-Bird-Netting-14-x-200-/110767630987?_trksid=p2054897.l4275

but then it occurred to me that using tulle fabric instead might offer the added benefit of keeping out stink bugs, which are also a huge problem here:

http://www.amazon.com/Tulle-Inch-Wide-50yd-bolt-White/dp/B001JGNRRW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392013425&sr=8-1&keywords=netting+50+yd

any opinions on what works best? it is frustrating when all the information i find online suggests using row covers and spun fabric-type material, which is entirely inappropriate for our climate because they retain heat.

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Comments (4)

lou_texas
10 years ago
Sorry I don't have a suggestion for you, but I'd be interested in hearing from others about this. Lou
roselee z8b S.W. Texas
10 years ago
I may not know what I'm tallking about, but while we're waiting for an experienced voice I'll put my one cent in to say it seems to me that shade cloth with its white color it would be reflective plus provide shade so it would make for a cooler environment.

Something else to keep in mind is when tomatoes are covered to keep out pests you have to give the plants a good shake occasionally to distribute the pollen.
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ydfz
Original Author
10 years ago
ahh, the pollinators...i didn't think about that. then perhaps a larger mesh is best, and i should just reprise last year's pest management strategy: use a cordless handheld vacuum to manually suck up the stinkbugs. works surprisingly well but takes a bit of time.

i found some netting with holes large enough for bees (3/4" i believe), small enough to keep birds away (can't do much to stop them pecking surface tomatoes but at least the ones deeper in the foliage will be safe), and also light enough to be tossed over the plants without being awkwardly stiff or requiring a frame structure:

http://www.amazon.com/Dewitt-Company-14-Feet-200-Feet-Barricade/dp/B004SI186K/ref=sr_1_123?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1392450085&sr=1-123

also much cheaper than the other links i posted! i think i will try it and return with an update. :) i am currently having a problem with some kind of rodent (i think) eating my napa cabbages (they are missing huge chunks out of the heads which is sad because it took so long for those heads to start forming) so i may put a couple layers over those to test it out.
missingtheobvious
10 years ago
Tomatoes are self-pollinating; they just need a bit of breeze to shake the pollen down onto the stigma. A windy day will do that; bees buzzing on the flowers will do it. You can give the stem a gentle shake once a day. Some people hold battery-operated toothbrushes against the stem for a few seconds.

So, no, your tomato vines do not need to have insect access.

And if there's no insect access, then you can be pretty sure the seeds you save won't be crossed.