Vegetable cages

[HazelkyParticipant]

Have made a mesh cage from canes plus ball joiners with a mesh overlay. Looks likely to Keep out the insects i don’t want that nibble my produce. It has occurred to me that it will also keep,out the pollinators. So how do my broad beans get pollinated? Do I just remove it over the beans when the flowers come and then put it back against the black fly? Or is it best not over the bean area at flowering time and just rely on pinching out the tips?

[charlesModerator]

Hazelkey I am not convinced that you need even to attempt keeping aphids out of your broad beans, partly because of this pollination concern.
Better to sow them November or February (perhaps you did) in order to have early growth before aphids arrive, and then stronger leaves that are less interesting to aphids, plus water the plants if it’s dry in May.
And yes, pinching out the tips when stems are in full flower will reduce aphid landing-pads. And give you tasty food.
See more here too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO3P_TJx_so

[HazelkyParticipant]

Thanks Charles, had reluctantly come to that conclusion after spending all morning on construction. 🙄 The beans are well grown from autumn sowing and at the end of a bed which has lambs lettuce, spinach, chard, cabbage all from autumn sowings. The cage is an experiment with bamboo canes and mesh, and I think it is a case of back to the drawing board and a smaller, more portable model. The beans breathe again!

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