Nothing stings quite like walking down to the veg patch and finding your brassicas stripped to the stalks overnight. Good garden netting is the cheapest, most effective defence you can buy, and it works without a single drop of spray. The trick is matching the mesh to the pest: birds, cabbage whites and carrot fly each need something different. This guide covers the mesh types that matter, what we would buy for a typical UK kitchen garden, and how to fit netting so it protects your crops without harming wildlife.
Top Picks at a Glance
- Best all-rounder: GardenSkill Woven Butterfly Netting
- Best budget bird netting: Gardening Naturally Anti-Bird Netting (20mm)
- Best for cabbage whites: Gardening Naturally Soft Green Butterfly Netting
- Best fine insect mesh: Agralan Enviromesh Fine Insect Netting
- Best for strength and looks: GardenSkill Fruit & Vegetable Cage Kit with Butterfly Netting
- Best for raised beds: GardenSkill Pop-Up Cloche Tunnel with Insect Mesh
How to Choose Garden Netting
Match the Mesh Size to the Pest
- 20mm: anti-bird netting
- 7mm: butterfly netting for cabbage whites and birds
- 3-2mm: larger flying pests
- 6mm or finer: carrot fly, flea beetle, whitefly, aphids
A 7mm mesh is the best single choice for the average kitchen garden.
Material and Lifespan
Most netting uses UV-stabilised HDPE. Soft knitted mesh is kinder to plants, safer for wildlife and folds away neatly.
Wildlife Safety
Loose, large-gauge plastic netting is a genuine hazard. Hedgehogs, birds and grass snakes can become tangled and die.
Support it Properly
Netting works best held up on hoops or a frame rather than resting directly on foliage.
Our Top Picks
1. GardenSkill Woven Butterfly Netting (4m x 5m) – Best All-Rounder
A flexible, heavy-duty woven butterfly mesh that keeps cabbage whites off your brassicas and doubles up against birds. The 4m x 5m piece covers a decent-sized bed without the bulk of a trade roll.
Key specs: Woven butterfly netting; 4m wide x 5m long; larger and smaller sizes available.
Pros: – Flexible and reusable – Good all-round protection for a typical veg plot – Cut-to-size piece is manageable for most beds
Cons: – Needs hoops or canes to hold it off the plants – Not fine enough for carrot fly
Best for: Typical UK kitchen gardens protecting against several pests at once.
2. Gardening Naturally Anti-Bird Netting (20mm) – Best Budget Bird Protection
Simple black 20mm UV-stabilised HDPE netting sold by the metre, and the cheapest way to keep pigeons and blackbirds off fruit bushes and brassicas.
Key specs: UV-stabilised HDPE; 20mm diamond mesh; sold by the metre in 2m to 12m widths.
Pros: – Very inexpensive – Lightweight and easy to handle – Suitable for fruit bushes and seedlings
Cons: – Does nothing against butterflies or insects – The larger mesh needs wildlife precautions
Best for: Birds on fruit bushes and brassicas when insects are not the main problem.
3. Gardening Naturally Soft Green Butterfly Netting (2m x 10m) – Best for Cabbage Whites
A soft green mesh that blends into the plot and stops cabbage whites laying on your brassicas.
Key specs: Soft green 7mm mesh; 2m x 10m piece (other sizes available).
Pros: – Proven cabbage white protection – Long-lasting over several seasons – Discreet green colour
Cons: – Higher cost per metre than basic bird netting – Needs frame support
Best for: Brassica protection where blending into the garden matters.
4. Agralan Enviromesh Fine Insect Netting (Standard 2.1m x 4.5m) – Best for Carrot Fly and Tiny Pests
Enviromesh is the go-to fine insect mesh for carrots and other crops attacked by tiny flying pests. The Standard 2.1m x 4.5m piece suits a couple of rows or a small bed.
Key specs: Fine woven insect mesh; 2.1m x 4.5m; RHS-endorsed Agralan product.
Pros: – Blocks small pests such as carrot fly, flea beetle and cabbage root fly – Long-lived – Can also give light frost protection
Cons: – Costs more than butterfly netting – Keeps pollinators out of flowering crops
Best for: Carrots and other crops vulnerable to carrot root fly and flea beetle.
5. GardenSkill Fruit & Vegetable Cage Kit with Butterfly Netting (2.5m x 1.25m x 1.875m) – Best for Strength and Looks
A ready-made frame with butterfly netting supplied, so there is nothing to rig up. It gives a permanent, tidy brassica or soft-fruit cage that stays standing all season.
Key specs: Frame and butterfly netting kit; 2.5m x 1.25m footprint; 1.875m high; other sizes available.
Pros: – Frame and netting in one kit – Walk-in height for easy picking and weeding – Tidy, long-term protection
Cons: – Bigger investment than netting alone – Needs a level, firm spot and good anchoring in exposed gardens
Best for: Committed vegetable gardeners protecting the same bed year after year.
6. GardenSkill Pop-Up Cloche Tunnel with Insect Mesh (1.5m x 0.6m x 0.6m) – Best for Raised Beds
A pop-up insect-mesh tunnel that drops over a row or small raised bed, and folds flat for storage.
Key specs: Pop-up cloche with insect mesh cover; 1.5m x 0.6m x 0.6m high.
Pros: – Instant setup, no hoops needed – Suits raised beds and short rows – Folds away neatly
Cons: – Small footprint, so several are needed for a big bed – Too low for tall crops
Best for: Carrots, salad and seedlings in a raised bed.
Quick Comparison Table
|
Netting |
Mesh |
Best for |
Price |
Reusable? |
|
GardenSkill Woven Butterfly Netting |
Butterfly mesh |
All-round veg plot |
See card for current price |
Yes, several years |
|
Gardening Naturally Anti-Bird Netting |
20mm |
Birds on fruit and seedlings |
Check retailer |
Yes, a few years |
|
Gardening Naturally Soft Green Butterfly Netting |
7mm |
Cabbage whites |
See card for current price |
Yes, several years |
|
Agralan Enviromesh Fine Insect Netting |
Fine insect mesh |
Carrot fly, tiny pests |
See card for current price |
Yes, many years |
|
GardenSkill Fruit & Veg Cage Kit |
Butterfly netting |
Permanent brassica cage |
See card for current price |
Yes, long life |
|
GardenSkill Pop-Up Cloche Tunnel |
Insect mesh |
Raised beds and rows |
See card for current price |
Yes, several years |
Which Garden Netting Should You Buy?
For most situations, buy a soft 7mm butterfly mesh to cope with the two big summer pests, birds and cabbage whites. Add inexpensive 20mm anti-bird netting if you only need to protect fruit. For carrots or flea beetle, fine Enviromesh is essential. A ready-made cage kit earns its cost if you protect the same bed every year, and a pop-up cloche is the easy answer for a raised bed.
Getting the Best From Your Netting
- Install early, before pest season peaks
- Keep it taut on hoops or canes so butterflies cannot lay through the mesh
- Bury or weight the edges against burrowing animals
- Check regularly for trapped wildlife, especially with larger-gauge netting
- Store dry over winter to extend its life
Frequently Asked Questions
What mesh size stops cabbage white butterflies? A mesh of 7mm or smaller will stop cabbage whites reaching your brassicas to lay their eggs.
Will butterfly netting stop carrot fly? No. Carrot fly need ultra-fine mesh (around 0.6mm) or a physical barrier about 60cm high.
Is garden netting safe for hedgehogs and birds? It depends on the fitting. Keep netting taut, use the smallest mesh you need, prefer soft knitted or woven material, and inspect it regularly.
How long does garden netting last? Good UV-stabilised mesh, stored dry over winter, will typically last several years and sometimes far longer.
Can I use netting instead of spraying? Yes. A well-fitted net is more reliable than spraying and avoids chemicals entirely.
The Verdict
For most UK gardeners, a soft 7mm butterfly mesh such as GardenSkill or Gardening Naturally is the best first purchase, backed up by cheap 20mm anti-bird netting for fruit and fine Enviromesh for carrots. Fit it early, keep it taut, and check for wildlife often.
