Grow Your Own Magazine

Apparently need to net the brassicas - I've seen netting, but does anyone know where to get big hoops or something?

I have used a fine mesh, did not bother with hoops dug it into the ground and left plenty of room for growth, there is virtually no damage to the crop, and they look so much healthier than the ones i didn't put under mesh

Big hoops can be made out of plastic/nylon water pipe cut into about 6 feet lenghs or some thing similar thats if you can find any of course jacob

Farmer Gyles, I used water pipe pushed in to form hoops (not expensive) and put a net over that.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

Farmer Giles

We get our hoops from nigel carr at LBS Cottontree, Lancs

TopVeg

we get ours from any building site pile of rubbish or skip that we happen to see it in

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Kernow rag nevra http://www.cornishnotenglish.com/

The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits
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You could make a sort of cage using canes (with plastic flowerpots, upside down plastic bottles, or plastic playballs from Asda) stuck on top of them and drape the netting over that.

I was thinking of growing a few sunflowers in my bed and using them to make the hoops...you know space them evenly down the sides and at some point when ready to make the tent, just cut the leaves back and bend them from one side to the other meeting in the middle to form the hoop...we will see if it works..

cheers all for the advice and ideas - i'll find something to use!

I used canes with cheap tennis balls as connectors. put holes in balls and push canes in. it then forms a cage to drape your netting over. i put a few canes in the middle with empty bottle on top just to stop the netting drooping. worked well, just didn't protect from the rain!

Hi Kate&Rob,
I am surprised that you did not use rugby balls over the canes, you don't need them when you come to Wigan (but well done over Saints)

Farmer, if you get a roll of plastic tubing, the blue water pipe that is in any builders merchant cheaply, cut it into 6 1/2 foot (2.5 metre) lengths. Push a little doweling into each end so that it protrudes by about 6 inches (150mm)

Then just stick the dowel nito the ground to form a hoop at about 4 1/2 foot wide at the base. Get a row of these spaced at around 6 foot and throw over them a length of scaffold netting(cheap to buy) which is green and 3 metres wide which gives a good overhang to put a brick or two onto it both sides ( stops the bunnies)

This forms a tunnel under which you can get two rows of cabbages, sprouts etc but lets the sun and rain through. I will try to get a photo or two on here as this is how I have done mine. Its great as when you need to weed, leave the ends pegged down and just slide the netting over the hoops to one side.

Good luck
Darren