Oh my. That’s just eye candy.
I have plans for something similar in my raspberries next spring. Do you find the top horizontal piece critical? I wasn’t planning to put any pipe there, just the arched PCV pipes over rebar with netting.
With the rebar it is pretty solid but wind is very unpredictable so I personally would not go without them. For an extra 10 to 15 bucks it’s worth it.
I use a similar structure with polytunnels in the winter.
Something to connect each of the PVC pieces is structurally stabilizing. Something cheap like the wire core vinyl coated clothesline to loop around each piece will help. More rigid is better. Then, consider what would happen if the weight of a squirrel or raccoon climbed up onto it, and fortify accordingly. I thought with netting over my blackberries that I was only protecting from birds. Here is a one minute instructional video, LOL.
I also like that it aids in keeping the netting from sagging between hoops. I will change out the perlins this year and put in galv. conduit to stop the sagging.
On the first photo, what size netting? I’m more interested in the width needed, as that area is very similar to what I need. Do you take the netting down for the winter?
Drew, can’t remember what size I ordered but was surprisingly shocked after it arrived and it was way to small. Called them up and they said I had to stretch to get the length I ordered. Stretched it to the point of almost tearing and never got the size I bought so I had to cut and sew the whole thing to get it to fit the raspberry trellis.
Took it down the first winter but it’s up right now. Lots of work. This spring when I put it back up I encircled the whole trellis with 2 foot high chicken wire at the bottom because the birds would tear through it and walk right in and I was getting tired of going in with my tennis racket and taking care of business.
I find the chicken wire is a must and all my netted cages will have it by this spring.
Order the netting larger than you need.
That video is crazy.
Interestingly the bird netting was not damaged at all but the structure was, as I was not prepared for this kinda weight. And, they were able to get the blackberries through the bird netting. There’s always next year.
Anne, you could always weave an electric fence wire through the netting. That would teach em.
I just figured out how to post pics so I’m like a kid playing with a new toy.
Did you welded the wire cage yourself or got it from the store. Those tomatoes are huge…
Tony
A tomato forest! OMG. That is incredible. Love the wire cages .
The cages I make out of concrete reinforcing wire, I buy it by the roll at lowes or HD whoever has it on sale. I cut it at 10 squares and zip tie it
I use the cages for beans, cukes and small melons when I grow them.