My insect barrier arrived a few short days after I wrote about flea beetle management. And just in time, too! I checked the two rows of emerging radishes—beloved by flea beetles—the morning of my expected delivery. Lo and behold, I saw both evidence of flea beetle damage and the actual beetles themselves! Not too many, thankfully. My insect barrier arrival was well timed, indeed.

About The Insect Barrier

I ordered an insect barrier via Amazon. It’s sold by Gardening Will, and is manufactured from a fine mesh material. It claims it keeps out insects, birds and animals—like those pesky rabbits that have been plaguing our community garden recently. But what it doesn’t keep out is light and water—and that’s a good thing!

How I Installed the Insect Barrier

The insect barrier comes in several sizes. I ordered two packages of the 5 ft. x 15 ft. barrier. Before the barrier went on I wanted to make sure the seedlings were protected, so I sprayed the seedlings with the natural product called Captain Jack’s Dead Bug that contains spinosad, an insecticide based on chemical compounds found in a bacterium. It’s a good, all-round protector against insects.

Next I laid one length of barrier loosely over the area of my garden that contains the emerging seedlings of the most vulnerable crops—two 3 ft. rows of radishes (flea beetles), one row of spinach and two rows each of beets and chard, which are targets of leafminers. I secured it to the ground using bricks and tiles, making sure there were no points of entry for any insects.

It’s been four days since the barrier has been installed and so far so good. I check the seedlings daily, sometimes twice. There has been no evidence of continued flea beetle damage and no sign of flea beetles. Meanwhile a plot within the community garden has been having extensive damage from flea beetles.

My one worry has been the emergence of other insects from under the insect barrier. I have seen evidence of leafminers in other community gardens nearby, so I know they are emerging. I know leafminers winter in soil within the garden. Let’s hope that any leafminers in my garden from last year didn’t lay eggs in the spot where I now have their favorite crops.