Plant Protection. 28th April 2017

Last years chard are starting to re-appear. At first we thought that they were slow getting going then we realised that the rabbits were nibbling the new green shoots. The plants are now covered with netting suspended over plastic hoops. We have been collecting plastic piping over the years (off cuts from plumbers and the occasional skip salvage) It is really useful cut into lengths and each end pushed into the ground to make a hoop over plants, which can then be covered with netting or fleece. We then use stones placed around the edges to keep the netting or fleece in place.

This week the plastic hoops have been used, covered with fleece to protect plants from frost. The weather turned cold again and frosts were forecast so out we went to cover plants such as the potatoes and flowering strawberries which would soon be nipped by a cold spell.

The onions have been planted out. We grew them in individual little containers to get them started and kept them in the greenhouse where they have grown well. Normally you plant onions (unless growing from seed) straight into the ground, but we tend to find either the rabbits nibble the tops or the birds pull them out of the ground so getting them started at home works well. The lettuce are also out under a glass cloche (see photo) and I’m even picking a few leaves for salads. The glass panels we salvaged from windows that were being replaced and they comes in very useful at this time of year.

I’ve come to the conclusion that we probably spend as much time protecting our plants as growing them but at least we now have a formulated plan for most eventualities. Anyone got a solution for moles?