There are several American online sites which suggest using concrete reinforcing wire mesh with 6" squares for constructing cylindrical cages for tomatoes, squashes etc.
In U.K. this seems to come in sheets rather than rolls and to be quite thick, rigid and not cheap (A142 seems to be the lightest weight)
Has anyone experience of using this material and bending it into cylinders? Or is there any similar material which would create robust, reasonably self-supporting cages of this kind?
Janet G

On 05/04/2017 06:47, Janet G wrote:
There are several American online sites which suggest using concrete
reinforcing wire mesh with 6" squares for constructing cylindrical
cages for tomatoes, squashes etc. In U.K. this seems to come in
sheets rather than rolls and to be quite thick, rigid and not cheap
(A142 seems to be the lightest weight) Has anyone experience of using
this material and bending it into cylinders? Or is there any similar
material which would create robust, reasonably self-supporting cages
of this kind? Janet G

Pig netting with 4" squares is perhaps a more suitable alternative.

I presume this is to support the plants as they grow?

Rather than for constructing a fruit cage to keep raccoons out.
I have never known any UK wildlife steal tomatoes.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Thanks Martin. I'll follow up your suggestion of pig wire. Yes, my idea was to have a cylinder which would be rigid enough to be fairly self-supporting, but helped by a stake or two. It would be mainly for squashes and cucumbers and possibly tomatoes, although they might be better served by some kind of metal framework to support rows of canes.
Until now I've had a kind of joyful sprawl of tomatoes, cucumbers and squashes in my poly tunnel by the end of the season. The curved framework doesn't lend itself to tying tomato canes in and so they gradually lean in various directions and the squashes and cucumbers simply spread without supports. I'm hankering after a little more discipline this coming year.
Janet G

In article ,
says...

There are several American online sites which suggest using concrete reinforcing wire mesh with 6"
squares for constructing cylindrical cages for tomatoes, squashes etc.

Bear in mind that American summers are longer and warmer than ours, so
garden tomato plants grow a lot bigger than they ever will in UK.

In U.K. this seems to come in sheets rather than rolls and to be quite thick, rigid and not cheap (A142 seems to be the lightest weight)
Has anyone experience of using this material and bending it into cylinders? Or is there any similar material which would create robust, reasonably self-supporting cages of this kind?
Janet G


Rylock stock fencing is strong and flexible enough to make into a tube,
fastened with cableties.


Many farmers/rural dwellers have a couple of metres left over, or used
and saved, which they might let you have.

Janet.