I think the right term is tulle. I've used it, but it doesn't come in wide widths.

It's tulle. Joann Fabrics sells it. I use it frequently in sewing and embroidery :-) You can sew it together to make it wider.

Patty S.

In the wedding dept of any fabric store you will find a couple of type of tulle as well as nylon net, which is even cheaper at about 60 cents/yard. If you just want to keep the birds out, nylon net is fine, and comes in 100 (apx) inch widths. I have a piece that moves from strawberries to black raspberries to blueberries.

As an insect barrier you will need tulle, which has a finer mesh. Regular tulle is easy to fasten in place anywhere with clothespins. French tulle is slightly stretchy, a bit more durable, costs a little more. If I were to go to the trouble of sewing something, I would use French tulle.

Can anyone compare floating row cover to tulle for cost and durability. The row cover should keep out, or in, almost any insect and is made to go over plants.

Well, I would think tulle will be more expensive, and possibly heavier. Plus the effort in having to possibly stitch two widths together. But, possibly more durable.

Patty S.

I tried wrapping my tree in frost cloth...the wind catches it so easily and rips it right off. Need to wrap it really well.

Just wanted to chime in, tulle is wedding veil netting and it's pronounced 'tool'. It does tear easy. It comes in various widths. My friend staples it together to cover her cherry tree to keep out fruit flies, it does tear but she just staples it back together. Most fabric stores have coupons, Jo-Ann's typically has a 40% off one in their flyer, sometimes a 50% off one.

FN, tulle is cheaper, much lighter, and does not last (due to tearing, as mentioned by suprneko), compared to row cover. You can find it in the fabric section at walmart. it will also suffer UV degradation. I use it to keep birds off onion seedlings in the spring. They work equally well as insect barriers, so long as they are both new.

Row cover wins for durability, hands down. I have summer-weight pieces that are more than 6 years old.

When stored in a bin, out of light, when not in use, I can get two years out of regular tulle, four years out of French tulle.

Row cover looks like bandages, tulle looks like a wedding dress. The biggest difference is appearance.