Diy fruit cage

colt

Hi all I'm thinking of making my own fruit cage using crop netting from wilkos it has got 12mm mesh would this allow pollinating insects to get in or should I leave it off untill fruit has set.

thanks

Lotus-eater

That will allow pollinating insects in, maybe bumblebees would struggle a tiny bit, more getting out knowing them. Not a bad idea to leave the roof off anyway to allow the birds in to clear up any nasty bugs, or at least to try.
You need to have the roof removable anyway, due to it needing to come off in the winter in case of snow.

chloecat_2

Wow Colt, that's a great idea. Will you put up some pics when you do it?

chloecat:T

colt wrote: »

Hi all I'm thinking of making my own fruit cage using crop netting from wilkos it has got 12mm mesh would this allow pollinating insects to get in or should I leave it off untill fruit has set.

thanks

MRSMCAWBER

Hi there

I have made a brassica cage/tent from 3 arches (whoopsed to €2 each)stood in crates filled with compost and covered with the mosquito curtains from a borken gazebo.... didn't know if the pics might give you some ideas -even though you are using net as you don't want to keep the insects out ...I now have more crates and troughs inside and have ropes going up n over the outside of the arches and into buckets of compost for my cucumbers to climb up
hope its of help

billieboy_2

Lotus-eater wrote: »

That will allow pollinating insects in, maybe bumblebees would struggle a tiny bit, more getting out knowing them. Not a bad idea to leave the roof off anyway to allow the birds in to clear up any nasty bugs, or at least to try.
You need to have the roof removable anyway, due to it needing to come off in the winter in case of snow.

Well I was thinking of putting a cage up to keep the birds out to stop them eating the fruit lol.

Lotus-eater

billieboy wrote: »

Well I was thinking of putting a cage up to keep the birds out to stop them eating the fruit lol.

You let the birds in till the fruits start coming and then close it sorry I thought that was obvious. The birds will eat some of the bad bugs as long as you haven't got a cat around, birds very rarely dare to get close to the ground in my garden, all the brave ones that have done, have done a great deal for Darwins theory in the bird world.

poppet

I wanted a fruit cage to cover one whole raised bed containing the soft fruit bushes and strawberries, but I also wanted to be able to stand up inside and move around the bed easily.
Hubby didnt like the thought of too much effort sinking 6 ft posts into the ground so I came up with the idea of using an old (semi broken) gazebo frame we had stuffed at the back of the garage. using mesh from the 99p store we wrapped the mesh around the frame and weight the bottoms down with bricks. One end is left open as a flap to get in a and out of the cage. It dosn't look very pretty of course but serves a purpose and cost alot less than buying a ready-made one from a garden centre.

There's photo of it here on my blog if you want to see

billieboy_2

Lotus-eater wrote: »

You let the birds in till the fruits start coming and then close it sorry I thought that was obvious. The birds will eat some of the bad bugs as long as you haven't got a cat around, birds very rarely dare to get close to the ground in my garden, all the brave ones that have done, have done a great deal for Darwins theory in the bird world.

Something's already had a go at some redcurrant leaves which I found on the ground near the bush:mad: , could be squirrels I suppose which a roofless cage could keep out unless they're very clever squirrels that can climb netting (which wouldn't surprise me). Got no cats, just a mad springer who chases the birds and squirrels but they're too fast for him:D . Now the peas and beans are coming through I'm going to have to net them as apparently pigeons like the new shoots and we have quite a few of them in the garden.

colt

Thanks for the info Lotus-eater. I will take some pics this afternoon chloecat and post them later

ixwood

Poppet, your plot looks very exposed/natural. Do you have rabbits or deer around? Don't they just eat everything in your beds?

poppet

ixwood wrote: »

Poppet, your plot looks very exposed/natural. Do you have rabbits or deer around? Don't they just eat everything in your beds?

Yes lots of rabbits, and the occasional deer . We've protected the veggie area with electric fencing (same stuff we used to keep the pigs in).