Timely protection

Timely protection

Be sure to getgood crops byprotecang your outdoor plants.

Time to do: Winter, spring and early summer, depending on the crop

A little protection at the crucial time can make all the difference. Pests and late frosts can spoil your chances of a good harvest. Birds are particularly troublesome when it comes to fruit bushes, but a drape of tine-mesh netting pegged down or weighted with large stones will prevent them getting to the fruit before you. However,

do bear in mind that wildlife and birds can get trapped in netting, so check it daily to ensure that no wildlife is harmed.

It's best to raise and support the netting with canes if you can, as this stops the foliage growing through and making the netting difhcult to remove without damaging the plant

Pigeons are especially fond of brassicas and can reduce them to a skeleton of leaf ribs virtually overnight Again, a frame of canes covered with netting over the brassicas will help. Do this when they’re planted out and leave in place until harvest time.

Fruit-tree blossom, especially on trained specimens, is very susceptible to late frosts, which can ruin your chances of a good crop. If frost is forecast, protect delicate blossom with fleece or polythene pinned over the plant. and again secure it with large stones at the base .

TIP If you haven’t got large stones. use tent pegs or U-shaped pieces of wire to secure netting into the ground.