Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Raised Bed Netting.  (Read 16690 times)

Badger

  • Joined May 2010
Raised Bed Netting.
« on: February 20, 2011, 10:43:27 am »
Can anybody advise us on the most economical way to put nets on some kind of frame over our new raised beds. The idea initially is to keep our chooks off, and also the wild rabbit population in our garden.This will be our first season growing veg, so any help will be much appreciated. Thanks

manian

  • Joined Sep 2010
Re: Raised Bed Netting.
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2011, 10:46:55 am »
hi
we are using electrical conduit as the hoops
for £21 you get about 20
from screw fix or similar place

oldwolf

  • Joined Sep 2010
  • Livingston
Re: Raised Bed Netting.
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2011, 02:31:10 pm »
sticks with coke cans on the end and the net over the top, £00000 ;D
'And the crowd called out for more'

silver swan

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Scotland
Re: Raised Bed Netting.
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2011, 03:02:58 pm »
Now there's a coincidence.............

Just this minute got back from garden centre with supplies, more in a minute.........

Have posted this type of question my self and had very good response. I have 4 raised beds all 1m x 3.6 m and needed a frame to cover  the brassicas ie just one bed(caterpillars a big nuisance last year). Have spent hours trying to track down a cheap(ish) sollution as the blue plastic hoops already got are not high enough. To purcase high enough cage kits looking at £70!

Back to purchases toady. Bought a box of 10 FIGO connectors (Harrod Horticultural sell them too - same price - £19.95) which can be fitted to garden canes to make a frame. Now looking for a cheaper alternative to butterfly netting as estimate that will cost about £30. Yep old net curtains could work but not easy to water through and don't want to have to keep removing anchor bricks/tent pegs to water.

Not sure how robust my efforts will be but need the means to easily dismantle and store at end of season.

Here's hoping a) it works
                   b) this is of some help to you?   :)

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Raised Bed Netting.
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2011, 03:12:15 pm »
Hi.  We have tried various things.  The green mesh which is cheap from garden centres lasts only one season.  A bit more expensive initially but should last for quite a number of years is knitted black netting available in various widths and lengths from LBS horticulture (google them).  For the hoops, we use blue alkathene water pipe - as used by the famous Geoff Hamilton. Stick a piece of cane in each end to go under the ground, and space them every 4-5 feet. For brassicas which are taller, I have been using canes with tennis balls on the top, but found they froze solid in the cold.  I like the idea of coke cans if you are a coke drinker, and we have also used individual plastic water bottles when we can get them - beer bottles are very jolly but unfortunately too heavy  ;D.  I have found that flower pots are not secure enough and blow off even when held down by the net.  For the edges of the net, I have threaded canes along the netting, then used pins made of old fencing wire (the thick stuff we use instead of barbed) to hold the canes down. Whatever you use, it looks good when it goes up, but weeds and weather all have their effect over the months.  
Please also make sure to check your cage every single day as birds get in, no matter how bird-proof you think you have made it, but they can't get out.
« Last Edit: February 21, 2011, 12:48:31 am by Fleecewife »
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

jacob and Georgina

  • Joined May 2010
Re: Raised Bed Netting.
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2011, 06:32:28 pm »
build a small lightweight frame out of timber and cover it in chicken wire then place them over the veg you wish to protect, keeps the chicken and birds out but still lets bees etc in, ensure the frames are tall enough to let your tallest crops grow underneath. this is what we did and it worked a treat, our biggest problem was a cock phesant, but since we put these frames over the beds we havent seen him since! think he must have seen them and decided to try else where! ;D ;)

ellied

  • Joined Sep 2010
  • Fife
    • Facebook
Re: Raised Bed Netting.
« Reply #6 on: February 21, 2011, 12:56:31 pm »
I tried plastic cups on canes with black net draped over and discovered it doesn't work as someone said above ::)

I also used disconnected electric poultry net with black net over the top and ended up with a strangled pheasant one morning ::)

Last year I used nothing and lost a lot to caterpillars ::) then much of the rest under snow :( tho there's still some growing and I may get a meal by April yet ;)

I'm not sure what I'm going to try this year but I'll be reading this thread again later to check ideas ;)
Barleyfields Smallholding & Kirkcarrion Highland Ponies
https://www.facebook.com/kirkcarrionhighlands/
Ellie Douglas Therapist
https://www.facebook.com/Ellie-Douglas-Therapist-124792904635278/

NorthEssexsmallholding

  • Joined Dec 2010
Re: Raised Bed Netting.
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2011, 05:56:56 pm »
anyone used enviromesh, not that cheap but might be worth it to protect my carrots.

Blonde

  • Joined Mar 2011
Re: Raised Bed Netting.
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2011, 02:48:29 am »
rabbit netting around the perimeter fence is a good start.   Make sure it is buried some one in to the ground to keep rabbits out.

helping hand

  • Joined May 2011
Re: Raised Bed Netting.
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2011, 06:57:45 pm »
Try polypipe hoops - you can see these on raised beds advertised on the following website:

www.raised-beds.net

as a good example.  Cheap and simple to instal and very effective.

ellisr

  • Joined Sep 2009
  • Wales
Re: Raised Bed Netting.
« Reply #10 on: May 06, 2011, 04:45:06 pm »
I have quite a lot of polymer clay lying about from jewellery making so I made cane tops that had 3 holes in but also made the clay look like ladybugs, bees etc they are really fun and I spot the bright colours when whizzing around the veg patch so don't poke my eye out

darkbrowneggs

  • Joined Aug 2010
    • The World is My Lobster
Re: Raised Bed Netting.
« Reply #11 on: May 06, 2011, 05:34:47 pm »
Sounds great -   Any photos  :) :) :)
To follow my travel journal see http://www.theworldismylobster.org.uk

For lots of info about Marans and how to breed and look after them see www.darkbrowneggs.info

Blonde

  • Joined Mar 2011
Re: Raised Bed Netting.
« Reply #12 on: May 08, 2011, 05:41:23 am »
Can anybody advise us on the most economical way to put nets on some kind of frame over our new raised beds. The idea initially is to keep our chooks off, and also the wild rabbit population in our garden.This will be our first season growing veg, so any help will be much appreciated. Thanks
2  poly inche pipe bent over the garden bed and then the net put over this.   bank in enough star pickets to accommodate the hoops made  by the poly pipe.   Put the end of the poly pipe over the top of the picket and push to the ground.  Do the same with the other end .  continue on until you have finished the bed.  YOu will need horizontal supports and these can be made of poly pipe and wired from one to the nxt in the hoops.  Of if it is a tree,( fruit) then cross them over to support the tops and then throw over your nettting.

 

Forum sponsors

FibreHut Energy Helpline Thomson & Morgan Time for Paws Scottish Smallholder & Grower Festival Ark Farm Livestock Movement Service

© The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2024. All rights reserved.

Design by Furness Internet

Site developed by Champion IS