Flexible garden hoops for netting

[Forage420]

Not cheap but these
https://www.gardening-naturally.com/high-top-hoops

Monty makes his own from 6mm steel rods
BBC Two - Gardeners' World, 2015, Episode 30, DIY plant supports

Bingo! Sorry I overlooked this at the start because I don't have flash player. Monty used a 2.5m long 6mm rod and he says around £2 each from a ''steel stockholder''. This is right up my street.

I think your first link option, the 19mm, would be a little inflexible in practice, it would also be more resistant to wind meaning it may be more likely to fail.

[Jay-ell]

Hi everyone sorry for not responding sooner!

Thinking about the viability of the frame, yes I would have to agree that anything below 6mm will not give a good enough span and carry the weight of the netting + wind loads, but I think 6mm will work. I intend on using UV treated polypropylene draped over the frame.

What I am doing at the moment for netting? I have been using bamboo sticks with old tennis balls stuck on the end with garden netting (the green stuff available at garden centres) draped on top and held down with brick. The benefit of this is that I can easily make variable sizes but the drawback is that the netting does not last more than a 1-2 years, and becomes brittle and tears easily especially if used outside during the winter, and if if I am constantly fiddling with it to maintain what is underneath.

I want to grow some compact beds of lettuce (cos, landcress, rocket, bijou, oak leaf) mix so I need a netting that can be lifted easily and routinely and will hold it's strength for a few years. The old systems are still good for protecting blocky beds of garlic, for example. I've got a 2mx2m bed of garlic meaning the centre is almost inaccessible, but this is generally fine as it's a one time harvest. Not true with lettuce.

I think a span of between 1-1.5m is achievable with a 6mm wire frame. I have found some here:

Flexible Garden Hoops 1.1m x 6mm | eBay

expensive and the photo is misleading because the description is not of one single hoop, it involves a break in the middle (joining ferrule). I would sooner have just one uninterrupted length of hoop, but I don't think it's sold anywhere. A blacksmith may be able to offer something though, I suppose. These appear to be plastic coated as well which I don't really want either, I'd be happier with stainless steel.

Couldn't see in the description what these are made of. In the second picture it looks like white plastic rods. I tried some like this, the rods deformed and warped and the ferrules all split.

[Forage420]

Why are they "wrong to"? Just curious!

Unprotected plastic will break down and leech into the soil. I suppose it depends on how conscientious you wish to be about it, as everyone is different, and I'm not knocking people that do use plastic wherever and whenever, I just feel that if there IS an alternative I will probably try and find it.

The municipal (green waste) they often get at my allotment site is full of plastic and I don't use it for that reason, besides it's been heated so much the soil micro-organisms are dead. It is not 'live' soil, if there is such a term. I think, given that inner cities are polluted enough already, (mercury/lead/plastic in water), it makes sense not to add pollutants to the soil if I can avoid it. Most people on my site are happy to use the stuff, but that's them and not me.

[Jay-ell]

Got any links to papers on mine water pipes leaching? Fancy something to read at work.

[Snadger]

Got any links to papers on mine water pipes leaching? Fancy something to read at work.

There you go, this should keep you going for a while!

War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy - Free Ebook

[Jay-ell]

Already read that. Not much gardening advice though.

[Snadger]

Already read that. Not much gardening advice though.

I bet you've already read 'Pi to a million places' as well! How about, Marcel Proust's elephantine Remembrance of Things Past.?

Good gardener wor Marcel!

[veggiechicken]

Why not build a cage from wood and cover with something?
Or make a tunnel from wire panels bent into shape?

I'll ask again.............why not build a cage from wood? Its more environmentally friendly than metal, can be made to a size to fit the bed and is easily portable to another location.
It can be propped open for access or lifted off completely.
It can be made from recycled wood and will cost less than buying metal.
Summat like this -

[Potstubsdustbins]

I am not sure where all this information comes from but you can take it from me that neither blue, black, grey or white water pipe will leech nasties into the supply, all are fully compliant with 'potable' water regs.

Yellow polyethylene gas pipe is not UV stable but it would take many years to break down. There are other safety considerations that make its sheathing above ground compulsory such as mechanical damage.

[Snadger]

I'll ask again.............why not build a cage from wood? Its more environmentally friendly than metal, can be made to a size to fit the bed and is easily portable to another location.
It can be propped open for access or lifted off completely.
It can be made from recycled wood and will cost less than buying metal.
Summat like this -
[ATTACH=CONFIG]74206[/ATTACH]

Just like mine!


Must admit the aviary wire is more pleasing to the eye though, but in my case wouldn't keep out the carrot flies! Did I tell you my carrots have now germinated...............chuffed to bits!

[veggiechicken]

I have some like that too but mine have green netting

[Greenleaves]

I couldn't agree more Potty, I have spent my whole life as an Environmental Consultant working with councils on contaminated land but have never seen any measurable samples that support leaching from such. The biggest issue with ground pollution is hydrocarbons.

I understand the OP personal choice but would consider depleting natural resources to manufacture aluminium is a far greater issue.

Be interested to hear about the netting the OP intends to use....

[Jay-ell]

It seems that the OP has the logic set of x is a type of plastic which leaches and degrades. Y is a different type of plastic but as it's a plastic it must leach and degrade. He does mention plastic in green compost but that would more likely be packaging from food etc than MDPE pipe. He doesn't consider that different types of plastic are engineered for specific environments.

For netting he cant use :-

• fleece, that's a polypropylene fabric - Plastic
• Enviromesh - polyethylene as well, plastic
• Scaffold netting - high density polyethylene, that'll be out
• Natural Fibre - would have a shorter life span before it started to compost, unless it's treated with preservatives, fungicides etc. but if he's worried about plastic surely he can't consider these.

Chicken wire - good for pigeons and birds, but holes are too big for insects.


Fly Screen (the stuff on doors) maybe if you can get a fine enough mesh

[Snadger]

It seems that the OP has the logic set of x is a type of plastic which leaches and degrades. Y is a different type of plastic but as it's a plastic it must leach and degrade. He does mention plastic in green compost but that would more likely be packaging from food etc than MDPE pipe. He doesn't consider that different types of plastic are engineered for specific environments.

For netting he cant use :-

• fleece, that's a polypropylene fabric - Plastic
• Enviromesh - polyethylene as well, plastic
• Scaffold netting - high density polyethylene, that'll be out
• Natural Fibre - would have a shorter life span before it started to compost, unless it's treated with preservatives, fungicides etc. but if he's worried about plastic surely he can't consider these.

Chicken wire - good for pigeons and birds, but holes are too big for insects.


Fly Screen (the stuff on doors) maybe if you can get a fine enough mesh

What are mossy nets made from? Or even lace curtains?

[Potstubsdustbins]

I agree Greenleaves, when you consider what goes into the manufacture of steel of various types, mining the ore's and the manufacturing processes used I would think it would have a far greater environmental impact.

IMO VC and Snadger have the answer use wood and to be really good...... scrap the nails and used wooden dowels