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Gardening Tip of the Day
Sheer curtains can be recycled in the garden as row covers. Inexpensive and easy to obtain at garage and yard sales these light as a feather curtains make excellent protectors for garden plants.
The sheer curtains will protect seedlings from heavy rains, birds scratching in the beds, roaming cats, and hungry insects. These nebulous curtains are comparable to commercial lightweight row covers usually sold as insect barriers.
According to some studies, row covers have been found to produce earlier and 25 percent larger harvests by maintaining more moisture and providing warmer soil.
The curtains may be used only at night, or during the day as well. They are excellent to repel flea beetles, squash bugs, and cabbage moths.
For plants not needing pollinators, such as beets, salad greens, carrots, cabbage, etc. the curtains can remain on the plants all summer. Simply use bendable PVC or flexible metal electrical conduit to lift and hold the cover off the plants. Just be forewarned that PVC must be stored for the winter to prevent breakage, but electrical conduit can remain in the garden all year long.
The curtain row covers must be removed when crops needing pollination, such as cucumbers, squash, beans etc. begin flowering. However, these plants can still be protected at night.
Author Marilyn Pokorney
Copyright Marilyn Pokorney 2022
