Fruit cages

Latest Articles

Fruit cages
Page 1, 2 Next

Downsizer Forum Index -> Grow Your Own

Author

Message

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 15 3:58 pm Post subject: Fruit cages

Does anyone have a good sized fruit cage? If so what is it made from, what type of netting does it use and what would you do differently?

We'd like to grow more soft fruit but there's too much wildlife (birds, foxes, Labradors) to get a good harvest without netting. So, if we were to plan a large fruit patch, say 10m x 5m, a good fruit cage may be worth the investment.

One idea, which is obvious now I've seen them, is a polytunnel frame with netting rather than polythene. Expensive but easy to get hold of and mend and available in plenty of good sizes.

I'm considering growing anything from cherries to strawberries, so low sides would not necessarily be a problem.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 15 4:15 pm Post subject:
We had a huge one where we used to live. Steel plumbing pipe and chicken wire. Worked brilliantly. Probably expensive, tho.

mal55

Joined: 15 Jul 2009
Posts: 168
Location: Erewash or in the dog house

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 15 4:40 pm Post subject:
I use a frame made of long canes gaffer taped together and covered in pond netting. It lasts a couple of years before I have to re-join it and is cheap, quick and effective

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 15 5:36 pm Post subject:
The netting can be bought at a reasonable price in the quantity you require. I can recommend Lows of Dundee. I wouldn't bother with a frame, commercial orchards just use treated wooden posts with tyre rubber on the tops to stop the net from rubbing.

yummersetter

Joined: 26 Jan 2008
Posts: 3241
Location: Somerset

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 15 6:47 pm Post subject:
We had the polytunnel frame with netting combination, but if the net wasn't very taut the birds got their feet tangled in the netting, and if it was stretched tight, it went into holes when they did kamikazi dives at it. Eventually the cherry trees burst through the top, so we ripped the whole lot off.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15663

Posted: Mon Mar 30, 15 6:34 am Post subject:
My parents had one years ago. The frame was treated soft wood and think the net was some sort of plastic. Dad had rasberries, gooseberries and currents in it. Remember if you use soft wood that the bottom will need extra treatment, as the standard is not as good now as it used to be.

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Mon Mar 30, 15 2:00 pm Post subject:

I saw one made of steel electrical ducting-tube. It is good as it bends easily by hand with 2 people I was told, but not at right angles, in a curve. They put in wooden posts and used the tubing to form the top and bottom and put the netting over that on the sides and 'teed' in the tube cross pieces, quite a bit of work. I'd do it in wood, 3"x2" and brace the corners. The best tip I can give you is to make it so that you can stand up in it-walking inside a 5ft cage when you are 6ft is no joke!

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45469
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Mar 30, 15 2:04 pm Post subject:

yummersetter wrote:

We had the polytunnel frame with netting combination, but if the net wasn't very taut the birds got their feet tangled in the netting, and if it was stretched tight, it went into holes when they did kamikazi dives at it.
Eventually the cherry trees burst through the top, so we ripped the whole lot off.

Yeah, it's a bit tricky to say the least, I've rescued rabbits and birds from our cherry net.

I think we'll probably end up with something that's got permanent deer/badger/rabbit protection at the bottom with possibly a polytunnel frame (we have lots of spare poly tunnel stuff) for our soft fruit

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Mon Mar 30, 15 2:26 pm Post subject:
I lust after the ones in Harrod Horticultural. They seem expensive to me, but me, but I've never compared them to anywhere else.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Mar 30, 15 6:12 pm Post subject:

I would either have large chicken wire or solid boards around the base as I've had to untangle a, thankfully, very alive grass snake from netting. That should hopefully help with other assorted critters.

I had hoped a good quality frame and netting would help reduce the risk of birds trying to get in. We get loads of jays round here and they're cunning and have a very nippy beak.

I have noted the use of hawk silhouettes on long flexible poles, used to scare off birds. I'm tempted to use something like them to scare them away from the netting.

The pole and tyre rubber sounds interesting, I'll give that a go this year and see how I get on.

Jam Lady

Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2507
Location: New Jersey, USA

Posted: Mon Mar 30, 15 10:31 pm Post subject:
Blueberry cage https://www.bellewood-gardens.com/2013/Nagy%20-%20Blueberries_2013-07.html

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35056
Location: Devon

Posted: Mon Mar 30, 15 11:19 pm Post subject:
The model owls we used at work to scare off the seagulls worked for a few weeks, Now they just perch on them. Maybe if they were moved around a bit it would be better.

Falstaff

Joined: 27 May 2009
Posts: 1014

Posted: Mon Mar 30, 15 11:23 pm Post subject:
They do say that a few feral cats hanging on strings from canes, in the proximity - keeps most birds away .

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15663

Posted: Tue Mar 31, 15 7:44 am Post subject:
If you use rabbit mesh at the bottom, turn it outwards for at least 6" and bury under the top layer of earth. Rabbits and badgers, and at least initially, foxes, will scrable close to the wire to try to get in. I would say taut mesh was better than boards as they can easily dig under them.

gardening-girl

Joined: 25 Feb 2009
Posts: 6024
Location: Somerset.

Posted: Tue Mar 31, 15 9:01 am Post subject:
Our original fruit cage was made from the frame from a very large tent, and a stack net from Mole Vally Farmers.

	Downsizer Forum Index -> Grow Your Own	All times are GMT Page 1, 2 Next
Page 1 of 2

View Latest Posts