I have used nylon tulle on small scale in the past and use it now and then. I first discovered its use on eggplants to keep flea beetles away. Worked great. Since tulle lets light, rain and air in/out, you can leave it on. Plus it is light weight and wind proof so you can leave it on.
Yet another use: It can be used as rabbit, deer and rat deterrent . They dont like to get tangled up with the tulle.

As far as need for sewing, ,I don't think it is necessary. You can just overlap the ends a bit or tie with some twine in few places. Again, it depends on what insect you have in mind, what size mesh you need and how much of it. Like I said , I use it on small scale and I find Fabric Store prices reasonable.

seysonn,
Interesting. Does tulle come in different mesh sizes or is there a standard size?

I can't grow eggplant, cucumbers, or squash at my community garden plot without tulle rowcovers. Flea beetles decimate the eggplant. Cucumber beetles and Squash bugs eat the cucurbits to the ground when they are young.

I use wire hoops that I bought from Gardener's Supply to hold the tulle up off the plants. I also have some hoops I made from 9 gauge wire.

The rowcover stays on the eggplant as long as possible. Mid-summer if I can manage it. By then they are big enough to withstand the flea beetle assault.

The squash and cucumber get big faster so I have to take the cover off sooner. Also, you have to take the cover off once the plants begin to flower so they can be pollinated. I usually grow self-pollinating varieties (parthenocarpic) so I don't have that issue.

The critical time for all these plants is the first several weeks so they are not decimated when small. Once they get big they can manage okay.

Be sure to get the very fine mesh, the larger mesh is too big and flea beetles can get through it. Also be sure to seal the bottom all the way around or the pests will sneak right under. I bury the edges in soil.

You don't have to remove it to water, but I have reached under to weed. Mulch well to reduce weeds. I don't know about the hot glue gun, it might work. I just bought the 108 inches.

Get a 40% off coupon for JoAnns from the newspaper or online. I also bought a whole bolt cheap online. It isn't UV stable, so you will be lucky to get two seasons out of it.

It seems like a lot of work, but it really pays off. Most people at my garden have given up on those plants. I had so much produce last year I could give away tons.

Buy 108" wide tulle 50 yard online. It is easier to use and the cheapest option, and will be enough for 2-3 seasons depending on the size of your garden. I am not sure if you will be able to reuse it next year - i am trying tulle first time this year. it is much better so far then agribon insect cover - doesn't slow air circulation and not affected by wind as much.

I started using nylon net years ago to keep the birds from carrying off my corn sprouts. It worked. Later, after they get bigger and I don't have to worry about them, I'd take it off. Haven't grown corn for several years, so hadn't used it, but this year I'm growing it again and its covered. I will probably use it on some other things as well since I have plenty of it and tulle.

seysonn,
Interesting. Does tulle come in different mesh sizes or is there a standard size?
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S. Okra,

They come in various mesh sizes and colors, white, green, red, etc. I have bought them from various fabric stores ( JoAnn, Hobby Lobby )

This post was edited by seysonn on Thu, May 8, 14 at 11:48

I used tulle for squash last year. Worked OK, except that it inhibits pollination. I got fruit, but they were strange fruit that came from self-pollination (as in flower on one plant to another flower on same plant). Never really understood who did it. Ants?

I'm trying to avoid squash vine borers and, with that caveat, of strange fruiting, the tulle worked fine. Now for self-fertile things like eggplant, it would seem ideal. I don't have flea beetles (yay), so my eggplants are happy completely exposed. But encasing an eggplant plant in tulle seems easy.

The stuff is cheap. Should be able to get it for less than a buck a yard at craft stores. Probably cheaper online in large quantities.

Potterhead: Thanks for the photo. It is very helpful for me to see how you set it all in place. I'll be trying some of your ideas, but will only dream of having mine look so neat.

I'll add a photo, too, using tulle to keep birds out of the strawberries. I use it all the time in summer, prefer olive green or pale pink in regular tulle, or white in French tulle.

Last year, I tried using fiberglass screening over a 10x5(ish) bed and found that it created a greenhouse-like effect that was not idea for our hot, wet weather (moss started growing under there!). It worked really well other than that, so I think that it would make a great option for someone in a different climate. You can buy it cheaply by the roll at Home Depot (might cost a bit more than tulle, but it is still quite inexpensive and practically lasts forever).

I think I'll give tulle a try down here in Florida! planatus, why do you prefer olive green or pink? For appearance or functionality?

This year we built PVC hoops and used 108" tulle for our squash bed. I plan on hand pollinating to keep them covered as long as possible.

I like the idea of fiberglass screen, as it is far more durable and longer-lasting than tulle. But I'm concerned about opacity. Most of that stuff is advertised as keeping light out. They are marketed as solar shades. Also, dark colored screen will get hot. Now, there are special purpose "transparent" fiberglass insect screens (e.g. Pfifer), but those are probably pricey, and they may not be as UV resistant as the thicker stuff. Anyone know of cheap, light colored, and fairly transparent fiberglass screening?

Question for the tulle users: what size mesh do you recommend I get for keeping flea-beetle-sized insects out?

We tried both an aluminum screen and a darker fiberglass one.

They both worked well and seemed to let enough light in, but the darker fiberglass did seem to attract heat and create a little mini greenhouse under there. So - if someone lived in a cooler, dryer climate, it actually might work really well. I think the fiberglass screening comes in different colors, but that was all I saw in my local Home Depot. It drapes like fabric, so it is very easy to use and store.

The aluminum also worked well, but it is more expensive. It is also much stiffer, and it bends and snags, so I think as long as you created a structure for it, like in the pic (but with screen instead of hardware cloth), it would last a very long time. Draping it or Using it over hoops would limit your ability to use it year after year.

Also - if you have rodent or squirrel problems, the aluminum screen keeps them out, but they can chew through the fiberglass screen.

Posted by Slimy_Okra 2b (My Page) on
Thu, May 8, 14 at 11:28

Question for the tulle users: what size mesh do you recommend I get for keeping flea-beetle-sized insects out?
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Most nylon tulles are tighter than a flea beetle size. Get something like 1 to 2 mm square. The finer the mesh the less durable they are..

I bought a 50ft by 108" roll of tulle last year, and am still using it this year.
The main reason I bought it was for squash. The vine borers are nasty critter, and this is the easiest manner of keeping them away. Problem is that squash and pumpkin vines get too large pretty soon. Last year I kept my summer squash plants under cover and hand pollinated in the morning. But one problem I had was the the aphids got real bad. I had a huge infestation, and I had to remove the tulle to deal with them. But overall it was a success...we had lots of squash. I've also used the tulle to protect other seedlings and small plants (brocolli, corn, spinach) , especially when I find they are being muched on, and I suspect its birds or rats doing it. I've been able to protect them by covering them up. But again aphids are a problem. They are so small they find a way in, and once they are in, they are safe from the good bugs like lady bugs, lacewings,etc...

Re: keeping out flea beetles...
I would not use tulle if flea beetles are the prime problem. In spring they come up out of the soil under any type of cover, and they can get through the holes in tulle. A very fine mesh fabric like organza could work, but row cover is cheaper. At 90 inches wide it costs 50-55 cents/foot, or 1.50 per yard, which is much less than other fabrics. Tulle looks way better, though. Like bandages vs. bridal wear.

Here is a link that might be useful: 7 springs farm row cover