Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi,
I am a brand new member to the forum and would like to ask everyone a question on fruit cages please.
I have just finished building my wooden cage of 4.5 * 2.5 mtr. I am now going to buy some netting to protect from birds, but i dont know what size mesh to buy.
Obviously i want to keep birds (especially those darned pigeons) out but want to have the bees etc. coming in to pollinate the fruit.
What is the best mesh size to get please?
Thanks
Steve G

Hi Steve I made a small cage for my fan trained cherry I used 15mm. wire netting. Last year I had a super crop almost ready to pick when they were atacked by wasps we did get some to eat but I had that feeling of what next! regards JOHN.

Mr G - welcome to the Vine... can't think why no-one's responded to your question, most unusual... You've probably bought it by now - sorry - but here goes.... As well as pigeons you'll be wanting to keep smaller birds out (e.g. finches like to eat fruit buds!) so the standard for side netting is about 20mm x 15mm and fairly rigid, the roof netting - which is usually a bit more elastic and stretches over, is in the region of 20mm square mesh. It's VERY important to remove the roof netting over the winter because a snowfall is l--- I started this message ages ago and got interrupted by a string of phone calls during which time JL has responded but "I've started so I'll finish...." It's VERY important to remove the roof netting over the winter because a snowfall is likely to rip it or even bring the whole construction down. If you wish over the winter you can put pigeon netting ONLY on the roof - that's much wider - about 4 inches square - eg if space permits some grow brocolli in the cage as it protects it from pigeon attack! The mesh of pigeon net is sufficiently wide to let snow fall through rather than accumulate. If you're intending to do this a canny move is to put the pigeon netting on first and leave it on all year, just removing the summer roof netting in autumn. Depending how finicky you wish to be there are different clips for different netting - see the commercial sites which stock all these additional refinements, such as Harrods and Agriframes.

You may not be used to it yet but if responses are slow it's worth using the Search button on this List (on the top menu) to see earlier threads on related topics.

Hope you enjoy your fruit cage, it makes a PHENOMENAL difference to production!

bb.