Individual Component Parts for Heavy Duty Fruit Cages

Build Your Own Heavy Duty Fruit Cage (Parts Picker)

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SKU:

HDFC28

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Description

Our Fruit Cage Builder is an easy way to choose all the components you need to build your ultimate fruit cage. No need to open separate product pages for each item. Just select the quantity of each product you want and get the total price displayed before adding to your cart. If you need any help ordering then don't hesitate to contact us

Ordering Netting
We use two different types of netting for our heavy duty fruit cages: a rigid plastic mesh (18mm x 23mm) for the sides, and a woven mesh (17mm x 17mm) for the roof.

Our rigid mesh is available in 2 metre wide rolls in lengths from 5m to 100m.

Our woven mesh is available in 2m and 4m wide rolls, and is also available in lengths from 10m to 100m.

The mesh is fixed to the fruit cage using cable ties.

Protecting Your Fruit Harvest
Our Heavy Duty Fruit Cage is a sturdy and durable structure that can be built to whatever size suits your needs.

A walk-in fruit cage is a great way of protecting tall-growing fruit trees like apple, pear or cherry trees, as well as lower-growing bushes or dwarf trees.

The Benefits of a Fruit Cage

Ripening fruit can be very attractive to birds, squirrels, deer and other wildlife. Before you know it, they can be making off with the 'fruits' of your labour. A fruit cage allows you to protect fruit trees or bushes of various sizes with a physical barrier (mesh netting in this case), ensuring a productive harvest at the end of the growing season.
It also shields your fruit from pecking or similar damage which can affect the quality of your harvest.
A tall walk-in structure allows you to tend to or prune your fruit trees or bushes without working in cramped conditions.
A good quality fruit cage can remain in place all year long without having to be disassembled and reassembled.

Materials
The fruit cage is constructed using thick walled aluminium poles, which are strong and corrosion resistant - but also lightweight enough to be assembled with relative ease. We use thick walled aluminium poles because of the added structural integrity they provide. They can easily stand up to year-round exposure.

The tube clamps are similarly durable: they are made from galvanised case-hardened steel, coated with a corrosion inhibitor. These are fastened securely using 7mm hex grub screws.

The clamp system we use is the same that is used on safety railings (the kind used along harbours and seaside areas - which points to their durability). For exposed windy sites you can add diagonal strengthening braces to further reinforce the structure.

Netting
The protective netting used along the sides and door of the fruit cage is a heavy duty extruded plastic with a mesh size of 18mm x 23mm, which will still allow entry for pollinating insects.

A looser UV-stabilised mesh - 17mm x 17mm - is recommended (and supplied by us) for covering the roof of the fruit cage.

The netting is separate from the Parts Picker, but can be purchased by following the links above (see 'Ordering Netting')

Fruit Cage Door
See the Instructions tab for a guide on how to add your door, complete with diagram.

Mowing Strip
For fruit cages placed on grass, you can add a timber mowing strip to protect your fruit cage. If attaching this board, the net should be fixed 10cm above ground level to allow grass to be strimmed or mown without catching the net.

Assembly
See the 'Instructions' tab above for detailed instructions, along with helpful pictures and diagrams. This should give you a good idea of how many poles, etc you will need to add using the picker tool.

To assemble the heavy duty fruit cage you will need a 6mm allen key and a spirit level. If your site is sloped or undulating you will also find some builders line and a line level very useful.

Fitting requires the upright poles to be sunk 40cm into the ground to provide stability. All components including the roof, door or mowing strip are connected using a 6mm allen key. The fittings are easy to remove or adjust if you make an error. The complete structure can be assembled in an afternoon.

Instructions

Click the below link for Instructions with Diagrams etc:

Heavy Duty Steel Fruit Cage Assembly Instructions

To assemble the heavy duty fruit cage you will need a 6mm allen key and a spirit level. If your site is sloped or undulating you will also find some builders line and a line level very useful.

For creating a door you will need 2 x hinge eyes and 2 x hinge pegs.

The mesh is fixed to the fruit cage using cable ties.