Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi All
Have still had no luck with how to build a cheap fruit cage--nothing fancy just functional and cheap.
All ideas welcome!

Looking forward to the answers SS.
I too would like to build a cheap but effective one.

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For one that will last a season, perhaps two if your lucky, buy some 8' canes a bag of tennis balls and some netting.

Stick the canes into the ground so that they are about 6' high and about 8' apart. cut a small hole into the tennis balls and stick them onto the canes, cut more small holes to stick the canes in sideways to form a 6' high by 8' wide "goal". Use the same techniques to make more "goals" into a cage the size you want.

Its not pretty but it works.

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Kindest regards, David.

http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/
updated - Sunday 19th at 2100hrs

I did that not with tennis balls but some round joint things from the gardne centre to put on the canes for building a frame. It was ok until it was really windy. We have a very windy plot. Decided to go a bit more heavy duty this year and will invest in something but not sure what yet

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Bec
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Am now happy - I can get out in the polytunnel again with the warmer weather.

I am hoping to use the poles from an old caravan awning that we have, not totally sure how but i have one so will recycle it in true allotment style.

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Denise xox

Learn from the mistakes of others because you'll never live long enough to make them all yourself.
-- Alfred E. Neumann
http://irchesterplot.blogspot.com

My cage in its third year is made from nine 6 ft poles these are known as thinnings about 2 in dia driven about a foot into the ground with a 15 x 8 mtr net from Wyvale picked up in the sale for a tenner slung over it, I use small drink bottles cut and placed over the end of the poles to protect the net from snagging, bricks or pegs to hold the net down. You have to bend a bit when you go inside but it keeps the pigeons out and works for me .

I cheated and Googled it
http://www.greenfingers.com/articledisplay.asp?id=405

It sounds obvious, but please ensure the netting is small enough so that little birds don't get in thru the holes !

I'm starting my fruit garden with just three gooseberry bushes in pots, but will have to net them. So I've had this idea .........

Those of you my age will remember the mushroom which Mum used to darn socks with. Well, my husband is going to make me one for each pot and stick it on top of some substantial dowel which I will (hopefully!) be able to put in the pot and hang the netting over. That way the net should be free of the fruit.

Hope it works

An old upside down wire hanging basket would work as well!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

I have to think of the wind - but a good idea Snadger.

You asked for this ....LAY OFF THE BEANZ THEN!!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

Its not the beanz Snadger, its the Fartichokes!!!

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Blessings
Suzanne (aka Mrs Dobby)

'Garden naked - get some colour in your cheeks'!

The Dobby's Pumpkin Patch - a blogspot work in progress!
Last updated 5th November2008 - new piccies!

Thanks for all the useful advice---even avoidigthe beans and fartichokes!!!
SS

in the bygone days of yore when i thought i was going to get an allotment any time soon, i bought 3 rose arch thingies, with the idea of creating a walk-in tunnel by positioning them a couple of meters apart with cane supports along the top.

still need the allotment and netting. 2 out of three ain't bad !

Just been to B&Q to look at electrical conduit to use in building a fruit cage.they are about £1.20 each and the are 2 metres in hight.can anybody advice on the distance needed between them as the bed is 15 ft by 4 ft.