The question I would ask is how tough is it to remove the web? Even if washing will it just come off, I doubt it, spider webbing is some tough stuff. It will also get grown over as the buds plump up. Personally although I like to normally let critters do their thing I would likely move this and try to pull all the webbing off but that’s me.
It definitely won’t just wash off. Tunnel web spider have some of the strongest webs! When I’m watering the hoop house plants, often times the water will just pool on top of their web.
I guess when I plant stuff outdoors, I just expect to have wildlife sharing the space. Call me a tree hugging hippie, or what not, but unless they are taking everything, I gladly share my space with other life forms.
I don’t mind sharing my space and normally I would leave it be, just don’t want to share my medicine, lol. I guess I figure you are going to move it anyway when you harvest so why let it mess up your buds. I defiantly get where you are coming from but one way or another you will be moving it.
I let spiders do what they will in my plants. I’m in a similar sort of climate to what I see there and there are SO many chewers and miners and aggressive eaters I couldn’t keep them off until I caught a couple off the hedge and let them go in the plants. Within a week no aphids, no larvae of moths and I got to watch the leafhopper games.
Just remember to look for the sacs when you chop, spider silk isn’t toxic but neither is it tasty.
So true! My plants will be harvested way before they are ready to move. I usually just cut their home out gently and leave it behind. My plants grow in our prairie edge though, so there’s lots of stuff around them holding them up. ( And housing friendlys)
Beautiful spot and healthy plants! I too take the tree hugging hippy approach and that outlook has taught me many things. That there is symbiosis and tells me your buds are clean and gonna be might tasty! Cheers!
(Its also possible that the spider will “move” at some point and I believe they remove there own webs by eating it, could he wrong on this one, but I have seen some species remove there own webs in the past.)
And what if he meets a sexy spider and suddenly there’s lots of eggs, little spiders and webs all around? . I like the approach, but don’t want bugs of any kind around my lillies , BTW beautiful garden …
I don’t think funnel spiders reclaim their webs, but I can’t find any definitive info on that in my quick search. I’ll ask my entomologist friend if she has the answer.
@George, thankfully most spiders balloon away very soon after hatching. They don’t usually stay around long. I can’t change your mind on all pests, but a Healthy ecosystem is the best IPM. Now in my tents indoors, I do all I can to keep most pests at bay. I still allow most spiders to hang out in there, but also I find snakes and frogs in my tents in the basement. Hopefully they are living well eating pests, because they don’t mess with my plants.
“Should”, being the operative word! 
. I like the 
approach, but don’t want bugs of any kind around my lillies 
, BTW beautiful garden … 
I can’t change your mind on all pests, but a Healthy ecosystem is the best IPM. Now in my tents indoors, I do all I can to keep most pests at bay. I still allow most spiders to hang out in there, but also I find snakes and frogs in my tents in the basement. Hopefully they are living well eating pests, because they don’t mess with my plants. 
