6 Best Raised Bed Covers For Pest Control That Old Gardeners Swear By
Protect your raised beds from pests with 6 expert-approved covers. We explore top choices seasoned gardeners trust to ensure a healthy, pest-free harvest.
Nothing is more frustrating than watching your perfect row of broccoli get decimated overnight by cabbage worms. For a hobby farmer with limited time, constant spraying isn’t just a chore; it’s often impractical. This is where physical barriers come in, and a good raised bed cover is the most reliable, low-effort pest defense you can have.
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Choosing the Right Barrier for Your Garden Pests
The first thing to understand is that a cover is just a screen. Its only job is to be in the way. The real question is, what are you trying to block? A cabbage moth is a clumsy butterfly, easily stopped by almost any netting. Flea beetles, on the other hand, are tiny and can wiggle through a surprisingly large hole.
This is the most common mistake I see: people buy a generic "garden net" and wonder why they still have aphids. You must match the mesh size to your primary pest. Before you buy anything, identify your main enemy. Is it the squash vine borer, the carrot rust fly, or the leaf miner? The answer dictates the type of cover you need, making this the most critical decision in the entire process.
Agribon AG-19: The All-Purpose Floating Cover
If you’re going to own just one type of garden fabric, Agribon AG-19 is it. This isn’t a net; it’s a lightweight, spun-bonded fabric that you can lay directly over your plants. It’s so light it "floats" on top of the foliage as it grows, hence the name "floating row cover." It lets in about 85% of sunlight, along with air and water, so you can largely set it and forget it.
AG-19 is your go-to for larger pests like cabbage moths, cucumber beetles, and squash bugs. It also provides a bit of insulation, giving you a few degrees of frost protection in the shoulder seasons and shielding tender greens from scorching sun. Its weakness? The weave isn’t fine enough to stop tiny pests like thrips or flea beetles. But for general-purpose protection on brassicas, squash, and melons, it’s the undisputed workhorse.
Gardman Fine Mesh: Stopping the Smallest Pests
When you’re dealing with the really small stuff, you need to upgrade to a true insect barrier mesh. Gardman’s Fine Mesh Netting is a perfect example of this. The holes are significantly smaller than what you’d find on standard bird netting or even a floating row cover. This is what you pull out when flea beetles are turning your arugula into swiss cheese.
The trade-off for this superior protection is a slight reduction in light and airflow. In extremely hot, humid climates, this can be a consideration, but for most, it’s a non-issue. You can’t lay this directly on delicate plants; it needs to be supported by hoops or a frame to create a tunnel. This is your specialized tool for otherwise uncontrollable pests, particularly on crops like eggplant, potatoes, and radishes that are flea beetle magnets.
Haxnicks Tunnel Cloche: A Sturdy Pest Barrier
Not everyone wants to fiddle with hoops and fabric. If you value convenience and durability, a pre-built system like the Haxnicks Tunnel Cloche is a solid investment. These are essentially wire hoops permanently attached to a high-quality cover, all folding up like an accordion. You just expand it, push the wire ends into the soil, and you’re done.
The real benefit here is speed and sturdiness. The integrated structure holds up better in wind than a simple draped cover, and the drawstring ends allow you to seal it up tight. The downside is a lack of flexibility; you’re locked into the dimensions of the tunnel. But for standard-width raised beds, they provide an instant, robust barrier that you can deploy in minutes and will last for many seasons.
Vegepod Cover System: All-in-One Protection
The Vegepod takes the concept of a cover to a whole other level. It’s not just a cover; it’s an entire contained gardening system. The Vegepod is a raised bed with a built-in wicking reservoir for watering, and it comes with a custom-fitted, hinged mesh canopy that provides pest and weather protection.
This is the premium option for someone who wants the most foolproof setup possible. The canopy’s commercial-grade mesh stops nearly all pests, while the hinged design makes harvesting easy. The upfront cost is significantly higher than any other option, but you’re buying a complete, integrated system. It’s a fantastic choice for a patio garden or for someone who wants to eliminate as many variables—and chores—as possible.
Gardener’s Supply Super Hoops for DIY Covers
For the gardener who wants total control, building your own system is the way to go. The foundation of any good DIY cover is the support structure, and Gardener’s Supply Super Hoops are the best I’ve found. They are made of heavy-gauge wire coated in plastic, making them strong enough to support fabric and snow, yet flexible enough to bend to your desired width.
These hoops give you ultimate flexibility. You can span a 3-foot bed or a 5-foot bed. You can cover them with Agribon in the spring for warmth, switch to fine mesh in the summer for pests, and then use heavy plastic in the fall to create a cold frame. Buying good hoops is a one-time investment that allows you to adapt your pest strategy season after season, using whichever fabric is right for the job.
Dalton’s Insect Mesh for Custom-Built Frames
Protect your plants from pests with this durable 5x10ft fine mesh netting. Made from UV-resistant PE material, it allows air, water, and light to easily reach your plants while keeping insects and birds out.
If you’ve built your own beautiful cedar raised beds, you might want a cover that’s just as sturdy and permanent. This is where you build a wooden frame and stretch bulk insect mesh over it. Dalton’s Insect Mesh, often sold by the roll, is a durable, high-quality material designed for exactly this kind of custom application.
Building a framed lid for your raised bed is more work upfront, but it creates the most durable and easy-to-use system. A hinged wooden frame covered in this mesh can be lifted for weeding and harvesting and then closed securely. This is the best long-term solution for non-standard bed sizes or for the hobby farmer who prefers building permanent infrastructure over temporary solutions.
Securing Your Covers for Season-Long Defense
A cover with a gap is not a cover; it’s a welcome mat with a roof. The most common point of failure for any cover system is at the soil line. Cabbage moths and other pests are experts at finding the smallest opening to crawl or fly through to lay their eggs. Your defense is only as strong as its weakest point.
Whether you’re using a floating row cover or a mesh tunnel, you must seal the edges completely. You can do this by burying the fabric edges with a few inches of soil, which is very effective. Alternatively, lay lumber, bricks, or rocks along the perimeter. For hoop houses, specialized snap clamps that grip the fabric to the hoop are invaluable, especially in windy conditions. Check your seals every few days; a little diligence here ensures the entire system actually works.
Ultimately, the best raised bed cover is the one that effectively blocks your specific pest while fitting your budget and your willingness to build. There is no single magic bullet. By starting with pest identification and then choosing a system—whether it’s a simple floating cover or a custom-built frame—you can move from a reactive, spray-based defense to a proactive, physical one.
