Ideas for next year?

[Thatnoobguy]

Hello everyone, so just curious as to what you guys do for growing plants that need pollination and also get targeted by pest. I was thinking of building a greenhouse but using mesh screen. North Florida and every year the bugs always eat holes in my cucumbers, watermelons/cantaloupes and zucchini. Would it be feasible to put them inside the mesh house and just have to hand pollinate?
Tomatoes suffer but not as much.

 

[Anniekay]

Hello everyone, so just curious as to what you guys do for growing plants that need pollination and also get targeted by pest. I was thinking of building a greenhouse but using mesh screen. North Florida and every year the bugs always eat holes in my cucumbers, watermelons/cantaloupes and zucchini. Would it be feasible to put them inside the mesh house and just have to hand pollinate?
Tomatoes suffer but not as much.

I'm in S. Georgia, we have the same bugs here. What I do is get BT and apply it to the soil. It gets rid of those little catepillars that hatch out and chew up your veg when you're not looking. Then when the stink bugs hatch you can put a latex glove on and after spraying with product called " Safer Soap" they can't fly off so you pick them off and drop them in soapy water. Another product that works well on chewing insects is Neem oil. Just follow the directions, more isn't better, and you'll keep all the bugs damage down to a tollerable level. No need for a greenhouse, they'll just fly right in there anyway plus, you can't use it in summer, you'd bake your plants.

 

[nvidura]

Using a mesh screen greenhouse in North Florida is a fantastic way to protect your plants from pests while allowing for pollination. While beneficial insects like bees can enter to help pollinate, you can also hand pollinate by using a small paintbrush or cotton swab to transfer pollen from male to female flowers, ideally in the early morning when flowers are open. Familiarizing yourself with the different flower types will make this easier, and planting companion flowers nearby can attract more beneficial insects. With this approach, you can enjoy a productive garden while minimizing pest damage!

 

[Meadowlark]

... and just have to hand pollinate?

Encourage pollinators by planting flowers of different colors and sizes in clumps near the veggie garden. I like marigolds, zinnias and sunflowers ringing my garden and you wouldn't believe the numbers of pollinators I get...and you might even get a bonus of Monarch and Giant Swallowtail and all different kinds of Butterflys to observe.

Caution, you may find yourself watching the butterflys more that the plants...at least that is what happens to me.

 

[GFTL]

I use mesh covered hoops on my green crops to avoid bugs. Works great. I have a bird mesh hoop house to protect berries from squirrels, birds, etc. Some pollinating plants like tomatoes will self pollinate with wind so they would do well under mesh. Artificial pollination by hand works but is tedious and it's hard to get them all.

 

[tyronee]

Using a mesh-screen greenhouse sounds like a great idea to keep pests away while still allowing light and airflow! Hand-pollinating is definitely feasible and can actually improve your yield since you’ll be controlling the process. A tip for hand-pollinating is to use a small paintbrush to transfer pollen—it's super easy once you get the hang of it. Also, if you’re ever looking for flowering plants to brighten up your garden space, eflorist has some lovely options. They might inspire you to add some pollinator-friendly flowers around your greenhouse for an extra boost.