Protecting against insects and sunscald?

Master Shake · December 23, 2019

What does everyone do?

I have bought some fruit protecting mesh bags with drawstring to try to prevent any insects or caterpillars, it seems to be working other than scuffing the outer skin a little.
I was thinking of putting a small square of green mesh on one side of the bags to provide extra shade for the fruits.

Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays

Nan_PA_6b · December 23, 2019

I've never had sunscald, but I live up north and my garden gets 7 hours of sun in the sunniest spots. Stinkbugs I have. Best thing I ever did, put in a pond. American Toads breed tadpoles in it every year. As my backyard is permacultured and everyone else's is lawn, I get the preponderance of toads. I'm not nearly as affected by stink bugs as others are. They seem to like my cherries, not the big ones. It's easy to toss out the bad cherries. If they were going after my beefsteaks, I don't know what I'd do.

imp · December 23, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b

I've never had sunscald, but I live up north and my garden gets 7 hours of sun in the sunniest spots. Stinkbugs I have. Best thing I ever did, put in a pond. American Toads breed tadpoles in it every year. As my backyard is permacultured and everyone else's is lawn, I get the preponderance of toads. I'm not nearly as affected by stink bugs as others are. They seem to like my cherries, not the big ones. It's easy to toss out the bad cherries. If they were going after my beefsteaks, I don't know what I'd do.

You'd do the stink bug/ squash bug dance followed by a "washing your shoes" session.

GoDawgs · December 23, 2019

We were going through a stretch of 98's and 99's at the end of this May. Too hot for tomato flowers to pollinate. I ended up rigging temporary shade by draping some lightweight row cover over the cages and holding it in place with clothespins.

In September the broccoli and cauliflower hadn't been in the ground long when the upper 90's came calling again. Row cover over hoops.

Then in early October we hit another streak like that and the fall peas were suffering so I banged in some stakes along the sides of the bed, ran baling twine down each side and draped old bed sheets over the bed. Again, holding it all in place with clothespins.

One does with what one has on hand! As I like to say sometimes you just have to make it up as you go along.

For stink bugs, leaf footed bugs and any other invasive critters, the most important thing you can do is stay out in front of them. Patrol your garden every day looking for eggs or crawling babies and either hand pick or spray. Some pests you can get rid of with insecticidal soap and others I deal with using permethrin. If you let them get ahead of you, the battle's about lost right then.

December 23, 2019	#1
Master Shake Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: australia Posts: 117	Protecting against insects and sunscald? What does everyone do? I have bought some fruit protecting mesh bags with drawstring to try to prevent any insects or caterpillars, it seems to be working other than scuffing the outer skin a little. I was thinking of putting a small square of green mesh on one side of the bags to provide extra shade for the fruits. Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays

December 23, 2019	#2
Nan_PA_6b Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 3,194	I've never had sunscald, but I live up north and my garden gets 7 hours of sun in the sunniest spots. Stinkbugs I have. Best thing I ever did, put in a pond. American Toads breed tadpoles in it every year. As my backyard is permacultured and everyone else's is lawn, I get the preponderance of toads. I'm not nearly as affected by stink bugs as others are. They seem to like my cherries, not the big ones. It's easy to toss out the bad cherries. If they were going after my beefsteaks, I don't know what I'd do.

December 23, 2019	#4
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	We were going through a stretch of 98's and 99's at the end of this May. Too hot for tomato flowers to pollinate. I ended up rigging temporary shade by draping some lightweight row cover over the cages and holding it in place with clothespins. In September the broccoli and cauliflower hadn't been in the ground long when the upper 90's came calling again. Row cover over hoops. Then in early October we hit another streak like that and the fall peas were suffering so I banged in some stakes along the sides of the bed, ran baling twine down each side and draped old bed sheets over the bed. Again, holding it all in place with clothespins. One does with what one has on hand! As I like to say sometimes you just have to make it up as you go along. For stink bugs, leaf footed bugs and any other invasive critters, the most important thing you can do is stay out in front of them. Patrol your garden every day looking for eggs or crawling babies and either hand pick or spray. Some pests you can get rid of with insecticidal soap and others I deal with using permethrin. If you let them get ahead of you, the battle's about lost right then.