Last year was my first attempt at vegetables in raised beds. Pests were a big issue with some of the plants. This year I'm trying row cover. They insulate the plant and can raise the temperature 10-15 degree, lets 90% light in and keeps pests out. It's also permeable. I've only had them on about 2 weeks, but so far so good and we've had some pounding rain lately and there are no signs of pests eating my seedlings.

It's too soon to tell how effective they'll be, but I figure it's worth a try. Inexpensive, too. I plan to take them off once the plants are fairly established.

Has anyone else ever tried these?

I have not, though we have terrible pest problems here, too. I just don't think I need to raise the temps by 10 to 15 degrees. After losing a couple young tomatoes to cutworms, I cut the bottoms out of some plastic containers that come with the roasted mealworms I invest so heavily in, and place them over the plants. It seems to be doing the trick so far. We'll get hornworms later, but I'll worry about that tomorrow...

I'll have to try that when they get bigger. I read that tin foil around squash plants helps repel some bugs, too. Can't remember off the top of my head.

Roasted meal worms, huh? I bought some freeze dried ones that the girls and my turtle gobble up. I'll have to check out the roasted ones.

I used to buy them exclusively for the bluebirds, but started giving them to the chickens during the molt. They do love them. I've never tried the freeze dried, but they're probably very similar.