Fruit Cage advice please

[becslb]

Hi, I have been setting up a fruit plot with raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, gooseberries and underplanting with strawberries on my allotment. There are a lot of wild birds around - quite happily to be near me as I do stuff - so I figure a fruit cage of some sort would be needed.

I have "build a ball" and looking in the Harrod Horticultural leaflet I see they have aluminum tubing suitable for use with the build a ball kit so I am trying to work out how much it would cost for me to use those.

How high should the cage be? Ideally I guess so I can walk in it with ease - but I am not going to be able to put a door in.. has anyone made a fruit cage this way? Can I ask how did you do it?

Bec

[gojiberry]

I have a small fruit cage for my blueberries made with a wooden frame. The sides are covered with plastic extruded netting as it is far easier to put up and fix to frames. The top has a soft net just draped over the top as it has to be taken off during the winter to stop snow damage and also lets the birds in to get at pests. You can also use the soft netting to drape over an entrance without actually having a door. Harvest 2 years ago without cage zero, last year with cage just over 20lb of blueberries.

Ian

[becslb]

Thanks Gojiberry - the extruded netting sounds a good idea. Can I ask how high you made your cage?

[Apple Betty]

Our fruit cage is built with a wooden frame (cheap lengths of wood) with (reduced to clear) garden netting stapled to it. It does have a door, made in the same way. This is the second one we've had like this (Mark I was at our previous house) and it works perfectly, as hubby built it it's over 6ft tall.

Do try to seal the bottom somehow though by either burying the netting or make the frame sit on the ground. As our ground is not level there were a couple of gaps, little birds get in and can't get out again (much to the enjoyment of our cats).

As I've had autumn raspberries in both I have found that over time the raspberries "walk" themselves out of the cage so I leave a few for the birds.

[becslb]

Thank you for your post.. I had been thinking that it would need to be at least my height (5'2") so that I could get in and out easily. I take your point about sealing the bottom - wonder if tent pegging the netting down would work?

[Apple Betty]

At least 5'2" I would say, I'm that tall and can easily disappear when the canes are in full growth!!

I should think tent pegs would work, you'd possibly need sturdier netting/mesh though as would it rip in strong winds just being secured in one spot?