Blue Water Pipe Cloches

[prink13]

Hi all, I want to make some Blue Water Pipe Cloches this year to keep the birds and butterflies off my caulis and cabbages - I don't know what type of pipe is best.

Is there a good diameter for flexibility and bend - also whats the best material?

Hope someone can help

Kathi

[prink13]

[Old bird]

Hi - The  pipe you are thinking of is alkathene piping and you will get it from builders/plumbers merchants although I don't know if they sell it in small quantities.

I had a roll given me by my mum and have made cloches (with ridged perspex under the hoops) and netted over strawberries and the like.  It all depends on what you are trying to protect but it is dead easy to use if you just have a hacksaw blade and a few sticks to shove in the ground with the piping in the top end and Bob's your uncle!

good luck with it!

[Larkspur]

Hi, if you can't get alkathene pipe you can use cheap hosepipe. You can't span the same distances with it but it does the job ;)

[Jeannine]

Hi I have made mini poly tunnels with this,I put metal concrete re inforcing rods into the ground and slotted the pipe over them,the rods were very cheap and have made the tunnels super strong. XX Jeannine

[Sprout]

B&Q sell white water pipes for less than £2 each. I think they're about 22mm in diameter and you can buy them singly or in whatever quantity you wish. They are quite bendy and are easily formed into a semi circle with each end pushed into the ground. I find this sufficent without the need for any further pegs etc

[dandelion]

I bought cheap blue water pipe from Wickes. They do 2 thicknesses, think I bought the smaller one. They also do white pipe, which is smaller still.

This thread has lots of useful info on making the tunnels:

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,91/topic,27617.0

[prink13]

Thanks everyone - great info, and lots more on the link

Thakyou  :)

Kathi