New Fruit Cage - ideas please!

[DuncanM]

I have about 10 blueberry plants and absolutely love them. I net them off and in year 3 the crop has been great, but they will take a bit of time to get established. I had a red currant, blackcurrant and gooseberry bush on the plot that I inherited and got rid of all 3, as in my view, unless you add sugar to any of them they aren't super palatable to me (even when I had the black currants super ripe). Other people may feel differently, but I wouldn't grow them in a cage. I do have 4 blackcurrant bushes at home which I use to make cordial with, but again, it requires a lot of sugar.

Raspberries and strawberries are excellent. I'd actually plant 10 strawberry plants per year, I think you could eat the crop from 6 just whilst picking them.

Have you thought about a trained (so it's kept a reasonable size) fruit tree or two? Don't go for apple or pear, at least in the fruit cage as they won't need protecting, but something like a cherry tree?

Good luck with whatever you decide to grow!

[Stan79]

So, it's taken a little while but I've finally got around to putting up and planting the fruit cage!

5 Autumn bliss rasberries at the back.
5 glen ample below them.
Blue crop blueberry
Ben connan black currant.
Jonkheer van tets red currant.
Invicta gooseberry.
And
Pilgrim cranberry

Are all in. Looking forward to watching this little lot develop.

Have put boards around the outside of the frame at the base, still need to 'pen in ' the raspberries to stop the, spreading. A good few hours work. Very satisfying!

[polc1410]

I have a double version of what I think you have. Over the winter in winds the frame has rocked ever so slightly numerous times. The nuts work loose and then the cross braces take a lot more load and in some case failed.

Suspect lock nuts would help. Some locktite on the threads would provably work. On the repair list...

[Stan79]

Now mulched with a good few inches of cow muck and straw from the farm up the road. Only took 9 wheelbarrows full apparently!!! Pleased to have some volunteers to do it for me!

[veggiechicken]

Any chance of a photo or 3, Stan, please

[Stan79]

Any chance of a photo or 3, Stan, please

Sorry VC! Missed your post. Will try and get some later today unless it's been blown away!!! It's sooo windy here!

[Stan79]

Sorry VC... it's taken a little while!

[veggiechicken]

It was worth the wait, Stan Looks great - I'm quite envious

[Stan79]

So, it's taken a little while but I've finally got around to putting up and planting the fruit cage!

5 Autumn bliss rasberries at the back.
5 glen ample below them.
Blue crop blueberry
Ben connan black currant.
Jonkheer van tets red currant.
Invicta gooseberry.
And
Pilgrim cranberry

Are all in. Looking forward to watching this little lot develop.

Have put boards around the outside of the frame at the base, still need to 'pen in ' the raspberries to stop the, spreading. A good few hours work. Very satisfying!

As 1 of the raspberries didn't grow, RHS sent me 5 replacements PLUS we stuck the cuttings from the autumn raspberries in the ground when we pruned them down and 4 of those have taken so from an original order of 10 we now have 19 raspberries! (Plus last years ones in pots and some others from a friend!)

I've dug the root membrane in around the raspberries, added some more mulch in the form of grass cuttings and ash from the bonfire.

One of the gooseberries that we inherited and is outside the cage is weirdly looking really good after not being very productive in the 3 years we've lived here with loads of berries.

[Stan79]

I've just read that the 'Bluecrop' blueberry we bought would benefit from a second blueberry of a different variety to increase crop size though cross pollination. Can anyone reccomend a similar sized <4ft/1.2m variety that will fruit earier or later than the 'Bluecrop'?

[Stan79]

As an update to this thread from a year or so ago, i am delighted to say that the fruit cage is a great success in its first year. My wife and daughters picked this little lot today!