Dear all,

Please excuse me if I continue to pick your brains:

As part of the small orchard / domestic fruit growing are I am planning, I
want to erect a fruit cage for raspberries, strawberries and possibly a
Morello Cherry.

My grandfather's cage was made of metal water pipe (which rusted) and
chicken mesh. I had to continuously rescue bullfinches from within.

I had contemplated making our cage from 4x4 inch treated timber poles
concreted into the ground and covered with some form of horicultural mesh.
This however could be quite expensive.

Are there any ready made fruit cages that would be 'just as good', but
easier to erect, and cheaper? I don't want rubbish which will need
replacing in a few years. Birds must be kept well and truly out!

Thanks once again,

Keith

Hi Keith,

The cheapest way I've found so far is to get an old frame tent(s), discard the tent but use the frame, covered in the cheapest mesh that your local garden centre sells.

If you have a branch of Freecycle in your area (if you haven't heard of it, a national scheme to pass round unwanted items without payment. Like ebay but without the money)(and the weirdos) you should be able to find an old tent or two. Or if you work in a big office, or know anyone who does, they usually have internal noticeboards on which you could ask for old frame tents.

Best of luck with it!

Keith (Dorset) wrote:
Dear all,

Please excuse me if I continue to pick your brains:

As part of the small orchard / domestic fruit growing are I am planning, I
want to erect a fruit cage for raspberries, strawberries and possibly a
Morello Cherry.

My grandfather's cage was made of metal water pipe (which rusted) and
chicken mesh. I had to continuously rescue bullfinches from within.

I had contemplated making our cage from 4x4 inch treated timber poles
concreted into the ground and covered with some form of horicultural mesh.
This however could be quite expensive.

Are there any ready made fruit cages that would be 'just as good', but
easier to erect, and cheaper? I don't want rubbish which will need
replacing in a few years. Birds must be kept well and truly out!

Thanks once again,

Keith

http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/H...getable+Cages/

"BT" wrote

Keith (Dorset) wrote:
As part of the small orchard / domestic fruit growing are I am planning,
I
want to erect a fruit cage for raspberries, strawberries and possibly a
Morello Cherry.

My grandfather's cage was made of metal water pipe (which rusted) and
chicken mesh. I had to continuously rescue bullfinches from within.

I had contemplated making our cage from 4x4 inch treated timber poles
concreted into the ground and covered with some form of horicultural
mesh.
This however could be quite expensive.

Are there any ready made fruit cages that would be 'just as good', but
easier to erect, and cheaper? I don't want rubbish which will need
replacing in a few years. Birds must be kept well and truly out!


http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/H...getable+Cages/

The "business" but expensive, although one does get what one pays for in
this case. We brought a 6 metre square one from them last year and are
rather impressed with it. Wasn't even that difficult for the two of us to
erect either.
We shall see how easy it is to move shortly!

--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

I've looked at those to but thought mighty expensive.
Bob do you have yours on the allotment?
I'm very tempted sigh
"+Cages/

The "business" but expensive, although one does get what one pays for in
this case. We brought a 6 metre square one from them last year and are
rather impressed with it. Wasn't even that difficult for the two of us to
erect either.
We shall see how easy it is to move shortly!

--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

"Alan McKenzie" wrote in message
...
I've looked at those to but thought mighty expensive.
Bob do you have yours on the allotment?
I'm very tempted sigh
"+Cages/

The "business" but expensive, although one does get what one pays for in
this case. We brought a 6 metre square one from them last year and are
rather impressed with it. Wasn't even that difficult for the two of us
to
erect either.
We shall see how easy it is to move shortly!

--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK


I found my first attempt at home made was not a success the posts kept
leaning inwards under wind pressure. mark 2 was buttressed by telegraph
poles cut in 3's and placed 2' out from the existing posts then braced
between the two with trellicing, the actual netting is quite cheap but I
found overa large area would sag and if wet drench you when inside so I made
some props from tannelised battens and placed glass jars on the tops to
prevent them wearing through the plastic netting. this arrangement is now 15
years old.
I have also seen an old tunnel frame covered in the fruit cage netting and
that would be very quick to erect (you would need an 18' or more width
tunnel to avoid sloping sides)
As to the bird problem I have undone the cover at the corners to create
flaps and any birds that get in tend to end up in the corners and can push
out.

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collections of Clematis viticella (cvs) and
Lapageria rosea

"Alan McKenzie"wrote after Bob H wrote
"+Cages/

The "business" but expensive, although one does get what one pays for in
this case. We brought a 6 metre square one from them last year and are
rather impressed with it. Wasn't even that difficult for the two of us to
erect either.
We shall see how easy it is to move shortly!

I've looked at those to but thought mighty expensive.
Bob do you have yours on the allotment?
I'm very tempted sigh

Not tempted by mine I hope. :-)

Yes, covering our brassicas at the moment.
We did intend to get another plot for fruit alone but are having second
thoughts now. How much fruit can two people eat!
We treat our allotment as our hobby so considering what others pay for, say,
a season ticket for Premier football or annual golf fees it's not that
expensive especially spread over the years it will be useful.

--
Regards
Bob H

"Shrouds do not have pockets" An old Hounslow undertaker. :-)

LOL - no!

although north of portsmouth isn't too far!
Guess your right it is an investment for a fair few years - will look at
them again and maybe come to a decision next year.
My brassicas on my home veg patch this year but will go to the allotment
next year so maybe get one set up next year.
Have my home patch covered with netting fastened to canes and pegged to the
ground - rudimentary but not too bad.

Not tempted by mine I hope. :-)

Yes, covering our brassicas at the moment.
We did intend to get another plot for fruit alone but are having second
thoughts now. How much fruit can two people eat!
We treat our allotment as our hobby so considering what others pay for,
say, a season ticket for Premier football or annual golf fees it's not
that expensive especially spread over the years it will be useful.

--
Regards
Bob H

"Shrouds do not have pockets" An old Hounslow undertaker. :-)

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 18:43:56 -0000, "Keith \(Dorset\)"
wrote:

Dear all,

Please excuse me if I continue to pick your brains:

As part of the small orchard / domestic fruit growing are I am planning, I
want to erect a fruit cage for raspberries, strawberries and possibly a
Morello Cherry.

My grandfather's cage was made of metal water pipe (which rusted) and
chicken mesh.

A local estate garden open to the public near us (Trevarno) has a
selection of exotic birds, some of which they keep in large cages. The
frames of these are made of wide-bore (say 3 or 4") plastic waterpipe
as you would find in your local DIY shed. Light, easy to assemble and
glue together, complete with appropriate joints etc, and rustproof.
Individual cages were assembled as octagons when viewed from above
IIRC, as that seemed to be appropriate for the angled connectors they
used. T-pieces connected the octagon ring to the verticals, IYSWIM.
Don't know how they were fixed in the ground though, and can't
remember what netting they used.



--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net