IKEA vs Cabbage white

 Growing season underway, you may be planning or starting to sow your Brassicas. Broccoli, Cauliflower and Cabbages all need some protection from the dreaded 'Cabbage White'. Although this is a specific genus of butterflies we generalise any white butterfly as a likely enemy on the allotment. Fine netting is the accepted or usual barrier used and is very effective. 

More than ten years ago I was in my local IKEA store and saw they had large net curtains at a very reasonable price, after a quick mental comparison to some netting I'd bought in a garden centre. Ten years on I am still using the same curtains I bought, in IKEA, although the expensive garden netting bought around the same time perished a long time ago. The only treatment I have given them is to place them inside a pillow case and put them on a gentle wash cycle then air dry once a year. These curtains are 2.5m by 2.8m and are sold as a pair at a still reasonable £4.50, they are called LILL net curtains and are a total of 14m2. The very cheapest comparable netting I was able to find on Amazon cost £6.99 for one net the size of only one curtain and had mixed reviews. 

So all you need to do is to place some hoops, either water pipe or another recyclable alternative like willow or hazel whips cover and weigh down. These net curtains also make an effective frost barrier when used in place of agricultural fleece.

example how I make cloche covers, water pipe and bamboo