Putting in a fruit cage

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Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,209
362
73
SE Wales
It is a very remarkable thing, that ratio of work to luck........never ceases to amaze me, the number of folk who just don't seem to click to it :)
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
I complain when there are eight or nine of them…and the cushiedoos are even less in numbers. There's one pair just now that occasionally visits the bird feeder, but that's it.
200 of them would guzzle the bushes bare in no time.

Have you thought of keeping a hawk ? :D

M

Oh don't tempt me. We flew hawks once and the guy offered to take us hunting with a pair of Harris Hawks. One to flush and one to stoop. Now that's a sport I'd like to get into :)
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
Wouldn't go amiss to let the hens forage in there occasionally…..they'll do a good job on insect pests, etc.,
Though I suppose it depends on what you're going to use under the fruit bushes.

M
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
A short update today, but spent a few hours with a spirit level, mark 1 eyeball and postcrete truing up, levelling and setting the bases. We also added a door if you look at the far end.


Cage Concreted In by British Red, on Flickr

Had to race to beat the rain. Have had snow, sleet, hail and rain so far on this project. I wonder whats next?
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
We'll hope for sunshine :D

It's looking very trim.

I find it astonishing how quickly some folks land dries out; mine's literally inches deep in mud and rain just now.

M
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
We tried that; the clay clogs them up :sigh: We've redone one three times, and it's not draining well again. I'm tempted to open it right out into a ditch and make it look like a burn :D

M
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
It's in stones. The fabric clogs up with clay in no time (so does the stuff I put under the chips :sigh: )

The clay is beautiful stuff, if you want to make pottery, or bricks.

M
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
It manages a year or so before it starts to clog up, by three years it's a total loss :sigh:

Sorry Hugh, we've rather taken your fruit cages thread OT :eek:

M
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
I like thread drift :)

I did install the reenforcing struts and foot plates but didn't bother with photos.....so back to field drains :)
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
You mentioned before that you had problems with wind and plants like sweetcorn; how do things like these cages stand up to gusty weather ? I was thinking more of when the plants are full of leaf and the cage and contents must become something of a windblock.

M
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
I do have some fear! But I have added concrete footings, bolt down foot plates and reinforcing struts. More important it has a ten year structural guarantee :)
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
A little more progress


Footplates have been lowered and locked


Foot Plate by British Red, on Flickr


Each upright has been braced


Corner Bracing by British Red, on Flickr


The marker pegs and strings came out again to show where each row of fruit canes will go, and where each post is needed


String Markers by British Red, on Flickr


I depth marked nine 3x3 tanalised fence posts


Depth Marked Posts by British Red, on Flickr


and dragged out the drain spade and post hole diggers. These are on my "must have" tool list for self sufficiency


Post Hole Digger and Drain Spade by British Red, on Flickr


Dug a 2 foot deep, narrow hole for each post (and checked it with a depth marked stick)


Depth Check by British Red, on Flickr


Half filled each hole with water


Hole Marked and Water by British Red, on Flickr


Bunged in a post


Mix in whole by British Red, on Flickr


20kg of quick setting concrete


Postcrete by British Red, on Flickr


and got it level


Spirit Level by British Red, on Flickr




Started to lose the light so this is as far as I got


Posts Set by British Red, on Flickr


I needed to get all the concreting done to give it a chance to go off before the next rain band (sigh).


Next job is to drill the posts, and string wire, but need to fit that around collecting chooks :)
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
Some more progress


Put in eye bolts on the end of each row of posts at 1', 3' and 5' height


Eye Bolt by British Red, on Flickr


I chose to run 2mm galvanised wire. The RHS calls for thicker but I can pull an eight foot fence post out of the ground when its got 50 pounds of concrete on it with 2mm, so its man enough in my book. I also broke out the wire tensioners and fencing pliers. You can get away without wire tensioners on this job, but you might need two of you.


Wire Strainers by British Red, on Flickr


The wire tensioners let me pull the wire tight and have two hands free to tie off to the second eye bolt


Straining Wire by British Red, on Flickr


Any slack in the wire can be removed by winding the eye bolt through the post. But do all three wires together and go gentle - you really can break a post or pull it up!


Tensioning Wire by British Red, on Flickr


At the end I had three runs of wire....


Three Sets of cane wires by British Red, on Flickr


The next day I added 6" gravel boards all around as I intend to put a thick wood chip mulch in to hold water and suppress weeds.


Gravel Boards by British Red, on Flickr


Yesterday we planted a dozen early raspberries (Glen Moy) a dozen Mid season (Glen Ample) and a dozen late (Joan J).


Raspeberries by British Red, on Flickr


We also added eight primocane blackberries (Reuben). These grow on upright canes like Blackberries and can be cut to the ground in February as they fruit on current years growth


Blackberries by British Red, on Flickr


Just waiting on my tree surgeon buddy for the wood chip now :)


Red
 
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