Hoop Row Covers over eggplants

Watch Reply
More
Mark unread Print Skip to new
bluekat76 Ijamsville, MD(Zone 6b) Mar 26, 2006

Has anyone built their own? Last year I used a floating row cover and it worked pretty good. The plants were a little bent by the time they were big enough for the row cover to come off. From what I have read I can make the hoops with 9 gauge galvanized wire and add the row cover on top. I did find a 13ft row already with the hoops for $48!!

Should I start looking for the wire?
-Kim

Post #2141044
Quote
Zeppy Shenandoah Valley, VA(Zone 6b) Mar 26, 2006

bluekat, here's what I made

http://www.davesgarden.com/forums/t/583861/

It only works in lengths of 5 feet, so maybe that's not what you need. I use any weight fabric or plastic on it, and it's strong enough for me to throw a heavy thermal blanket over it, too.

Post #2141116
Quote
Mar 29, 2006

Hey Zeppy
HMM i m growing eggplant for the first time, and i have herd of the flea beetles, covering them helps protect them ?
when do i need to start protecting them? when planted or when baring fruit?
thanks
sue

Post #2146397
Quote
Zeppy Shenandoah Valley, VA(Zone 6b) Mar 29, 2006

Never grew 'em, Sue! Sorry! I did use floating row cover (Reemay or Agribon) on my okra to protect them from Japanese beetles, but that's all. My potatoes had flea beetles, but they were manageable with a few spritzes of neem oil.

Post #2146523
Quote
Horseshoe Efland, NC(Zone 7a) Mar 29, 2006

taynors/sue...you'll need to watch those eggplant from the very first day you set them out. Flea beetles will really attack the plants when they are young and vulnerable. Oftentimes a good dusting of talcom powder (repeated) will repell them but must be used often. (Once the plants reach a height of 3 ft or more you'll see very few flea beetles/damage on them.) And yes, the neem oil will certainly help as well. (Zeppy, have you noticed how Neem seems to have repellent properties also? Or is it just my imagination?)

Also, since I have so much mint growing around here, I've made mint tea and used it as a repellant spray.

If you go the reemay route, I'd cover them the day you set them out and be sure to anchor the cloth at the ground so no one can slip under!

Post #2146613
Quote
bluekat76 Ijamsville, MD(Zone 6b) Mar 29, 2006

Shoe is right. I put the cover on the day they went into the ground. I learned the hard way the year before - between rains and schedules the beetles won the battle. I will mulch under the row cover this year, the weeds had a party under there!

-Kim

Post #2147485
Quote
Mar 29, 2006

Thanks a bunch
I was looking into Neem, i have stuff for catapillars but not flea beetles, i will get some .
thanks again ,very much
sue

Post #2148212
Quote

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
Back to Forum Homepage

More Vegetable Gardening Threads

Go to all Vegetable Gardening threads
BACK TO TOP