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Insect Pest Control

Q.Moving Seedlings Outside And Fabric Covers

Zone seattle, WA 98199 | Anonymous added on April 23, 2021 | Answered

I started my Victory Garden this year, my first ever REAL garden. I bought fabric covers to keep the bugs away but can’t figure out how to deal with the vines; peas. Also, if you cover your plants how do the bees and butterflies pollinate?

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GKH_Susan
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
Answered on April 25, 2021

It's a delicate balance, isn't it? We want the pollinators to visit, but don't want the bugs that eat our plants.
However, my experience with plant fabric is that it's needed only in the winter or in harsh weather to protect the plants from frost or harsh winds (or sometimes too much sunshine). I really don't think you want to leave fabric cover over your plants as they grow. Just use it to temporarily protect them if you're expecting harsh weather. As to harmful bugs, if you see some evidence of this, treat the plants accordingly. You can use neem oil on most plants to deter unwanted insects, but gardens need bugs, and you can't prevent all of them. It takes a watchful eye to know whether there are bugs that are preying on your plants.

Here's an article with some other tips: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/info/cheesecloth-in-the-garden.htm

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