Are Fruit Cages A Good Investment?

Are fruit cages a good idea? Well, anybody who has bought, tended, nurtured, fed and watered fruit trees and bushes will know. The whole crop that you have been anticipating can be lost to birds. Bird food from the feeder is all very well, but your precious fruit?

There's no doubt that birds find soft fruit irresistible. So much so, that some will even plant sacrificial redcurrants to distract them from the rest of the crop!

No. If you are serious about preserving your fruit for the table where it belongs, a fruit cage is the only answer. While it's possible of course to make your own, the most usual solution is to buy. The cages you can buy are usually made from aluminium or plastic-covered steel tubing. Aluminium generally will prove more corrosion-resistant. There is not usually a huge difference in price.

The design usually consists of standard length tubes, joined together at the corners with either plastic or aluminium pieces. The uprights are sunk into the ground, either just into the soil, or into concrete for a permanent installation.

There are usually two different grades of fruit cage available, Standard and Heavy Duty. The choice depends to a great extent on how exposed your site is and how much you want to invest for the long term.

A Standard grade cage is generally of light construction. It can even be re-sited if the need arises. It's usually a great choice for most gardens - allotments even. A Heavy Duty cage will be more permanent and will stand up to more severe conditions.

The modular design of most cages means that you can choose just the shape and size that's ideal. At a later date you can add more modules if you need to. Door kits are also available as an option, although they are really essential of course.

The netting to cover the cage should be durable. 25mm mesh is usual. It is clipped onto the frame and it is important to fix it carefully to the ground to keep out the birds. Be warned that a heavy covering of snow can break the frame - it lies on the fine mesh. The solution is either to take the netting off the roof before winter, or replace it with a wider mesh, which will at least keep the pigeons out.

Keen gardeners will find that a fruit cage is an excellent investment. The increase in fruit yields will pay back the investment many times over the lifetime of the cage, which if carefully chosen and installed should be many years.

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