How to Protect Your Seedlings (with a Laundry Basket)
A few years ago, I grew cauliflower and broccoli in my raised beds. They did great, and I couldn't wait to harvest them and inflict them on my family use them in lots of different recipes.
Then the cabbage worms came. Zillions of them. Since broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are all brassicas, the cabbage worms like them all. Since I wasn't going to spray them with chemicals, and didn't have time before work to inspect the leaves and pick off bugs, I lost the whole crop. I was devastated (but Hubby was happy).
Then the cabbage worms came. Zillions of them. Since broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are all brassicas, the cabbage worms like them all. Since I wasn't going to spray them with chemicals, and didn't have time before work to inspect the leaves and pick off bugs, I lost the whole crop. I was devastated (but Hubby was happy).
A few years later, I found one of these nifty gizmos in a garden catalog. It's called a moth-blocker, and is made of really fine mesh that lets water and sun in and keeps the bugs out. The only problem-it's $35. Ouch!
There's no way I'm going to spend $35 to cover each plant! I could buy a lifetime of organic veggies for that price.
How do you protect your winter crops? Share your tips in the comments!
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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2 of 39 comments
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This is my second year of doing a strawbale garden. This year I want to put in some broccoli. Thank you so much for this idea! I'm going to try it on my bale. I hope my $ store has the mesh baskets.
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the dollar store sells them also. maybe in a smaller size though
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