Last year we tried putting netting over greens to keep the Cabbage moth out. Unfortunately, they must have got in before we did because we ended up with a 'cage' of moths! Flyscreens sound the go though, so, maybe a lift off cage type of thing. I'll get the man onto it! I am going to be experimenting with bio-dynamic insect 'peppers' this season. I have no idea if they work, but I'm sure someone will tell me if they do. We do make work for ourselves don;t we!
Cheers
Linda

I occasionally use netting just when I've sown seeds to discourage birds from eating either the seeds or the newly emerged whatever. Otherwise, no. Like you, I would rather it coped on its own. I mostly use the "pick 'em off when you see 'em" method of pest control.

What's an insect pepper? I went to a biodynamic workshop recently but have decided not to pursue it in depth because too much of it is not locally sustainable. Where does one get a stag's bladder for instance? I'd be interested to hear the results Linda.

I've decided to hire Jed Clampett this year. He can shoot a bug's eye out with a twelve bore at fifty paces, and he can give a cricket a centre part with a shotgun.
Oh My, the full moon is upon us again.
I tried the garlic and chili spray last year and it seemed to repel a lot of caterpillars.
smelled terrible, but worked.

I've been doing the rounds of the garage sales recently, and much to She Who Must Be Obeyed's chagrin, I've been buying all of the 50cent lots of old unframed fly wire.

hopefully I'll soon have enough to experiment on a tomato cage

I tried suggesting that a tunnel made of fly wire would be wonderful for the chinese vegies and the tomatoes but that idea was slapped down

I might give it a try. My only problem is my vegie gardens are odd shapes and tucked into any available corner and the vegies are rotated through them all so would have trouble making a size to suit all. My main pests are cabbage moths in cabbage and broccolli and fruit fly in zucchinis. I thought a cage with a hinged lid for easy access would work well. It would stop the zucchinis being pollinated though and I wouldn't get hand pollinating done at the right times.

I also read that light shadecloth would work alright but to let enough light in, the shadecloth holes would be too big to stop fruit fly but should work with moths.

Ray - the biodynamic method is to get the critters (in some quantity), burn them and scatter the ashes. As you know I work by astrological Moon cycles which is the Steiner method so I understand the principles behind it. But I've never tried to this extent. Apparently some keen folks are experimenting with the idea of making a sort of homeopathic brew out of the ash. The burning and 'peppering' has to be done at certain Moon phases and when the Moon is in certain constellations. With insects there are three potencies, the larval stage the winged stage and the crawliing stage ( assumuing they have wings)and you can make three different 'peppers' for broadcasting. I have a friend in NZ who tried it with possums and believes it worked as she peppered the boundary where they were getting in and it reduced the incidence by about 85%. With insects I think you'd have to have a lot of the buggers to get a decent bonfire! Weeds can also be used in the same way. My personal jury is out - I have enough knowledge to see how it works in principle (alchemy, gardening and astrology being my two main life thrusts) but I have enough work to do to expand further. I might research this but I'm a 'proof of the pudding type of gal' I've seen the principles of biodynamics work well enough, but I agree - it takes a passion for the methods, a total dedication to the methods and I just don;t have background to convert just yet, but being excited by the daily 'magic' that I see in my garden ( I do have fairies you know) I will give it a whirl. Will report findings on my website eventually).
Adam - full moon is good - we all need a little madness! This coming full one occurs on 16th so you are just winding up! No naked dancing please.

Cheers
Linda