Hi All,
OK got to the stage now where i have things planted in my beds and they will need protection so need to look at a workable solution which will stave off birds.
I have netting and now need to look at how i hang it over the beds whats worked for you guys?
Cam
i make frames using old pallet timber and recovered tile battens.
Ray used canes/hazel cuttings, bought some ball-type things off ebay and made frames out of them, also got some old tennis balls, cut a couple of crosses in them and did the same :)
We made these giant cake covers to cover the brassica beds, they have worked really well and are light enough to lift off easily for weeding etc. All the beds are 8' x 4' so they can move around for crop rotation :)
(http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv179/knottygal/259139_2011060993482_1152453026_32205669_4365454_o.jpg)
Quote from: knottygal on June 25, 2011, 21:01:01
We made these giant cake covers to cover the brassica beds, they have worked really well and are light enough to lift off easily for weeding etc. All the beds are 8' x 4' so they can move around for crop rotation :)
(http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv179/knottygal/259139_2011060993482_1152453026_32205669_4365454_o.jpg)
That's impressive, how did you construct them?
Jackie
its two inch blue water pipe, i think.
The problem is you have to buy it, my concept of allotmenteering is its the ultimate exercise is recycling, i dont buy anything unless im totally forced to. If theres a way to do it free, that'll do me .
I dont have fixed beds or fixed paths, i have maximum use of all the land.
Out of interest, do you know what percentage of the plot you have is unusable because of being hard paved over ?
OH screwed together a basic rectangle that fits inside the beds with timber battens then drilled a counter sunk hole in each corner with a 25mm drill bit to recieve the 25mm polypipe diagonals.
These were then screwed into place and covered with debris netting. This was gathered around the polypipe to the required tautness and fixed with a few cable ties, another was used at the cross section to secure the pipe and netting here and another added to form a handle.
I went to the trouble of sowing the holes in the netting up too after witnessing Cabbage whites managing to squeeze through last year :o !
We have 3 brassica beds so made 3 covers...
(http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv179/knottygal/259081_2011061473494_1152453026_32205672_2433174_o.jpg)
lincsyokel2 I know what you mean and totally agree, I would have loved a traditional lottie but our plot and indeed a third of our site is severely waterlogged, up and out of it seemed the best way to go.
The paving flags (under which we put in a series of drainage channels leading to a large soakaway at the lowest point) means we can use the lottie all year round...
Quote from: knottygal on June 25, 2011, 21:42:08
OH screwed together a basic rectangle that fits inside the beds with timber battens then drilled a counter sunk hole in each corner with a 25mm drill bit to recieve the 25mm polypipe diagonals.
These were then screwed into place and covered with debris netting. This was gathered around the polypipe to the required tautness and fixed with a few cable ties, another was used at the cross section to secure the pipe and netting here and another added to form a handle.
I went to the trouble of sowing the holes in the netting up too after witnessing Cabbage whites managing to squeeze through last year :o !
We have 3 brassica beds so made 3 covers...
(http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv179/knottygal/259081_2011061473494_1152453026_32205672_2433174_o.jpg)
Superb, thank you :)
Am spoilt for choice whoo hoo :) loving the blue pipe idea I guess you could cover the bed in plastic and pop the netting over the top to secure it in place to warm the soil in the winter.
I Guess i could do the same with wood and make a frame my concern about the pipe cover is that its a bit big and i might not be able to lift it when my backs playing up so perhaps i could do 2 smaller ones to cover the bed (the beds 10x4 so i could do 2 5x4)
oh decisions decisions