Homemade Portable Butterfly & Bird Protection Netted Cloche

[vegmandan]

I started making these hooped netted portable cloches a few years ago to keep the Butterflies off my Cabbages and the Birds off my Strawberries.
Dead simple to make and you can make them any size you want.
Also they're dead easy to move if you want to do some weeding and you don't need to peg the mesh down or weigh it gown with bricks as it's attached to the base and stops any pests getting in.
Anyway I've made a quick video showing how I make them. ;D

You may need to click the link.Cheers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWdVEmbqDQs

[vegmandan]

[Amazingrotavator(Derby)]

Think you will need a lathe along the top screwed to uprights at each end to stop the snow collapsing them.
I found that out last winter.

[shirlton]

Another fantastic idea A R. Thanks for sharing it with us

[1066]

both look excellent. Can I ask how you weigh them down - I'm thinking of winds blowing them over and away, and they look very light-weight?
Thanks  :)

[Amazingrotavator(Derby)]

I haven't had any trouble with wind blowing them over. I have 5 of these and not one has moved (Bet they do now). I must be in a sheltered location.

[1066]

thanks amazing, think I will plan one of these for the brassicas, I'm sick of forever having to redo the netting after watering/weeding etc and see how I get on.

[pumkinlover]

That's my winter job then!

[pigeonseed]

My MDPE pipe arrived today!

I've been thinking of making a frame, as opposed to just sticking the hoops into the ground. But was sort of put off somehow with the extra effort and taking materials and tools to the plot... But it is nice to see Dan making one and be reminded of how do-able it is. So thanks Dan. (Amazing, you also have nice hoops!  ;D)

Mind you I have reservations about fixing the hoops to a frame. If I don't, I can easily pack it all away in winter... I think the storms we get here would reduce the lifespan of the netting if I leave it on over winter. :-\

What do people think? (I live close to the sea, like 1066!)

[Morris]

Mind you I have reservations about fixing the hoops to a frame. If I don't, I can easily pack it all away in winter... I think the storms we get here would reduce the lifespan of the netting if I leave it on over winter. :-\

What do people think? (I live close to the sea, like 1066!)

Yes, I agree, I prefer not to have a fixed frame (lovely and tidy/sturdy though they look) because the hoops and netting go in the shed when not in use - I wouldn't have room to put the frames away and I don't think I'd like them left out all year.

[Digeroo]

Very nice.  I will have to get making.

Mine will have to be out all winter the muntjac deer eat the brassicas during the winter, then come the spring they eat the strawberry leaves.  Then there are the pigeons and the caterpillars.  Its a year round job.

Very windy here so they will have to be very sturdy.

How tall are they, need to get my purple sprouting covered.

[1066]

As I've overwintered various veg, with netting, fleece, enviro stuff, so I think leaving them out is ok. It's just securing it all so it doesn't blow away  :) I've been pondering on drilling some holes in the wood and fixing it down with something like tent pegs, and maybe even guy ropes ...... Ging gang goolie goolie goolie goolie watcha, Ging gang goo, ging gang goo.  ;D  ;D  ;D



Sorry I'll get me coat......

[Amazingrotavator(Derby)]

If I had to peg mine down, I would knock a quite a long peg in the ground at each corner then screw through the peg and into the frame. Easy to remove, just unscrew.

[vegmandan]

I find that as I have wider mesh than Amazings,mine being 10mm then there's no wind resistance at all and they dont move even in a gale,so no need to weight them down.
And the snow falls through the holes. ;)

[green lily]

I've made permanent wooden frames around raised beds which are covered as required. At the moment net is over peas as a pigeon was filling his/herself..... the gooseberries, brussels,strawberries [these have chicken wire sides] , blackcurrants, redcurrants, whitecurrants, carrots, seedlings etc. Looks more like a beduin camp. :) The wooden frames are at least 3ft. and I bang in central posts to make the covers high enough for PSB. However I've so far failed to cover the morello so if I don't shift myself there wont be any cherries for me....  ::)