The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Smallholding => Buildings & planning => Topic started by: Part time dabbler on July 20, 2017, 11:05:27 am

Title: Material for a fruit cage
Post by: Part time dabbler on July 20, 2017, 11:05:27 am
I will be putting in a permanent fruit cage this autumn and have been thinking about materials. The obvious one is wooden posts but I have been thinking about building the structure out of rebar used in construction.
 
Has anyone used rebar or any other material to keep the costs down but will last many years?
Title: Re: Material for a fruit cage
Post by: mapahutchins on July 25, 2017, 08:20:43 pm
Sorry never used it but was chatting with my father-in-law and he was of the opinion that it would be a bugger to work with (cutting and fixing). Also he pointed out the ease of using wood to fix your netting etc compared to the bar...

Maybe you already factored all those considerations into your thinking?

Title: Re: Material for a fruit cage
Post by: Perris on July 26, 2017, 06:42:48 am
I use those bars with hooked tops (the sort often used around building sites) for all sorts of temporary uses - fencing, plant support, netting etc. They are easy to push into ground, you can fix netting with plastic ties or string, and they're practically invisible. Long bars might not work so well with something high enough to walk into though...
Title: Re: Material for a fruit cage
Post by: Scotsdumpy on July 26, 2017, 08:38:52 am
Depending on how big your fruit cage is have you thought of using an old greenhouse frame. We were lucky to find a large greenhouse frame when we moved in and now use it for a fruit cage. We covered it with fine fishing nets (lots round here near Fraserburgh). I'm always on the lookout for a cheap/free polytunnel frame to make a larger protected area for brassicas etc.
Title: Re: Material for a fruit cage
Post by: Foobar on July 27, 2017, 04:48:40 pm
Scaffold bars?
Title: Re: Material for a fruit cage
Post by: Part time dabbler on July 31, 2017, 01:24:26 pm
At a rough estimate, I have not measured the area yet, I am looking at 20ft * 30ft