Floating Row Covers

[ipaintedmyhousewhite]

I'm looking at these to use to keep the buggies from my cucumbers and melons. I don't feel like spending this much money...shipping, etc. Is there anything else I can use for the same purpose? Has anyone had any luck using anything they've purchased at the fabric store? I'm not planting a bajillion rows of this stuff...I'm talking a few plants. Is there any fabric that I could buy that would make a suitable substitute? Just curious.

[zebraman]

Hey IPMHW;Lowes carries row cover for $8 -$9.I buy it at another store in Venice for just over 1.00.-6x10 ft.Mail Order is not the way to buy row cover.

[ipaintedmyhousewhite]

Ah, thank you. I'll check that out.

[KimB]

I find some every year at Big Lots for 99 cents for a 59" x 196" package. I've noticed that the quality can change from year to year and between different packages; some packages have a denser fabric, others are super thin which is what you want for insect control. Pinetree Garden Seeds also sells by the yard and it's definitely not expensive, even with shipping! And finally, if you are desperate and find you have trouble getting fabric that's lightweight enough for summer use, you could get the insect barrier fabric from Gardeners Supply or Gardens Alive!, but they're not as cheap. I only got mine from them because I had $25 off coupons!

Depending on the size of the bugs you want to keep off, old screens work great. People in my neighborhood are always throwing out old screens in the frame. I just duct tape them into a cage or lean them together like a pointed roof over the plants. They keep off the cucumber beetles, but aphids can get through.

BTW, I tried an organic cotton fabric once, (loose weave muslin/gauze type), and couldn't keep the plants from cooking. It also got too heavy when it absorbed water and not much would go through to the plants.

[ipaintedmyhousewhite]

Thank you Kim B, that's exactly what I was worried about with regular fabric, the water absorption...I thought if there was a special synthetic kind, then maybe it'd work, but I hate the thought of experimenting and losing little seedlings. I'll look at the sources you mentioned. Thank you, I appreciate that.

Zebraman, our Lowes did not have floating row cover...I am on the East coast, I wonder if maybe they vary slightly by location? Or perhaps it's not here yet since it's still early in our season...

[dirtundernails]

Pinetree is a wonderful company to do business with. I just moved, and need to tell them my new address - oh how I miss the catalog.

dun

here's the stuff at 28cents per foot: www.superseeds.com/watering.htm

[onmyknees]

if you want to use fabric store stock the lightest weight non fusible pellon or interfacing you can find is very similar to row cover.

[wvorganics]

Row cover is good stuff, but no matter what you are going to have to manage it. After hard rains followed by intense heat and sun will sometimes make it stick to the canopy. Also some crops can't take the intense temperatures under the cover, so removing it when temps. get really hot is important. Some crops are self pollenating and some aren't, timing is very important.

[jr_johnstone]

Pinetree Garden Seeds also sells by the yard and it's definitely not expensive, even with shipping!

With shipping and handling it is still cheaper then purchasing it locally for me.


Regards,



J. R. Johnstone

[Ohiorganic]

Pine Tree sells row cover for 30¢ per foot which is very expensive as I can get a 500' row of the AG19 (which I think is what they are selling, though it could be the lighter, and virtually useless, AG15) 8¢ per foot without shipping (probably would be about 10¢ per foot with shipping). The 100' row cover is still 23¢ a foot.

Pine tree is about the most expensive row cover I have seen

[yorkerjenny7]

Row cover is for one season or it can be used for few more times?

[ovenbird]

I was rather careless with mine and it got soaked in muddy water last summer. I ran it through my front load washer on the gentle cycle and it came out fine. It was a 6'x40' foot piece. So I will use it again this year.

[RozieDozie]

I use tulle, the stuff bridal veils are made of. Not nylon net, but tulle. The holes in nylon net are too big. It's cheap, lightweight, lasts many, many seasons. It won't shade, water goes through and, a big consideration here, it lets air flow so we don't get mold or mildew.

It's 60" wide. I get it a Hobby Lobby by the bolt when it's half off.

[gardener5]

I use tulle, the stuff bridal veils are made of. Not nylon net, but tulle. The holes in nylon net are too big. It's cheap, lightweight, lasts many, many seasons. It won't shade, water goes through and, a big consideration here, it lets air flow so we don't get mold or mildew.

It's 60" wide. I get it a Hobby Lobby by the bolt when it's half off.

Rozie it's funny ya post this because the lady I got the lights for my seed starting stand from said she used a similar thing and put it's over her cabbage plants and it keeps the butterfly's(thats what she calls them) from laying the eggs on the plants so she doesn't have a problem with the bugs eating up her cabbage. She said she bought her at the local Walmart.

[RozieDozie]

Rozie it's funny ya post this because the lady I got the lights for my seed starting stand from said she used a similar thing and put it's over her cabbage plants and it keeps the butterfly's(thats what she calls them) from laying the eggs on the plants so she doesn't have a problem with the bugs eating up her cabbage. She said she bought her at the local Walmart.

She's right. It's good stuff, Gardener. Very cheap! I use it for bug control; it's my favorite garden hint. :

[Ohiorganic]

Tulle may be cheap but it is not as cheap as row cover (I have priced both and tulle is generally twice as much per yard-I buy row cover for about 30¢ a yard) and it does nothing for season extension or protection from heat. Despite wvorganics' claim that plants can get too hot under row cover, it does not get above 89F under row cover (this is according to a Spanish study and my own observations in 95F to 105F temps) and in heat, row cover conserves water and the wind does not dessicate leaves. I have found in extreme heat the plants under row covers are always doing a lot better than exposed plants

[RozieDozie]

Tulle may be cheap but it is not as cheap as row cover (I have priced both and tulle is generally twice as much per yard-I buy row cover for about 30¢ a yard) and it does nothing for season extension or protection from heat. Despite wvorganics' claim that plants can get too hot under row cover, it does not get above 89F under row cover (this is according to a Spanish study and my own observations in 95F to 105F temps) and in heat, row cover conserves water and the wind does not dessicate leaves. I have found in extreme heat the plants under row covers are always doing a lot better than exposed plants

Ok, Ohiorganic, ready for the Tulle Duel? :D ;)

Ipaintedmyhousewhite said she had just a few plants and wanted to keep the bugs off her cukes and melons and was wondering if there was anything she could buy from the fabric store. Tulle fits the bill for that. It's what I use in my home garden to keep the bugs off.

I buy it half off at Hobby Lobby and it is about 50 cents a yard; but I've also gotten it for as litttle as 10 cents a yard on closeouts. Five yards of tulle goes a loooooong way, lasts forever and is easy to manage.

We do use floatig row crop covers in the big gardens at times, but have to be careful because if the row crop covers prevent any kind of airflow, mildew becomes a problem. We have to contend with heavy dews and here, and the row crop covers tend to drip mositure back onto the plants.

We use shade cloth for sun protection and that works well.

Anyhow, all if it is cheap enough to try a bit and see what works best for the situation. That would be my recommendation.

[taba1]

Can lightweight pellon interfacing be used?

[gardener5]

Ok, Ohiorganic, ready for the Tulle Duel? :D ;)

Ipaintedmyhousewhite said she had just a few plants and wanted to keep the bugs off her cukes and melons and was wondering if there was anything she could buy from the fabric store. Tulle fits the bill for that. It's what I use in my home garden to keep the bugs off.

I buy it half off at Hobby Lobby and it is about 50 cents a yard; but I've also gotten it for as litttle as 10 cents a yard on closeouts. Five yards of tulle goes a loooooong way, lasts forever and is easy to manage.

We do use floatig row crop covers in the big gardens at times, but have to be careful because if the row crop covers prevent any kind of airflow, mildew becomes a problem. We have to contend with heavy dews and here, and the row crop covers tend to drip mositure back onto the plants.

We use shade cloth for sun protection and that works well.

Anyhow, all if it is cheap enough to try a bit and see what works best for the situation. That would be my recommendation.

CAT FIGHT;):p I only tease ladies:D

[RozieDozie]

CAT FIGHT;):p I only tease ladies:D

Behave yourself, Gardener! Besides, Ohiorganic and I ain't ladies; we're strong women and don't you fergit it! :D ;)

[hookangel]

She's right. It's good stuff, Gardener. Very cheap! I use it for bug control; it's my favorite garden hint. :

Thx for the hint... i am going to the fabric dept and get some!!

[gardener5]

Behave yourself, Gardener! Besides, Ohiorganic and I ain't ladies; we're strong women and don't you fergit it! :D ;)

Yes Madam;), both of you are and did I tell ya I love strong women;):D. I'll try to behave from now onlol.