Building a low cost and flexible brassica cage

This video was quite a challenge to shoot as the phone fell in the toilet this morning and so nothing was working very well to say the least. The audio is a bit poor and the speakers have failed. Siri keeps popping up to interrupt me every few seconds, but I managed it, just!
Here are the links to the products I bought:
Black Butterfly Netting 4m Wide 3-4mm mesh size Polyethylene netting
by easynets
Link: amzn.eu/iqcTdYu
20 x Strong 10mm METAL FENCING PINS ROAD PINS1.25m for Temporary Fencing by True Products
by True Products
Link: amzn.eu/3AZZIeI
Elixir LARGE RUBBER CANE CAPS, BAMBOO CANES, STAKES x 50
by Elixir
Link: amzn.eu/42FxtB3
I'm also going to try out these clips to hold the net nice and firm, but they haven't arrived yet:
TOOL STORAGE SPRING TERRY CLIPS 3/8 INCH 10MM BZP ( pack of 50 )
by ONESTOPDIY.COM
Link: amzn.eu/e3kv7qu

[@terrykingsallotmentgardening]

Hello Steve, It's surprising how much information you can gather from watching others and putting your own spin on it and this will suit your needs and save lots of time and money in the long run. The lamp pins were the first job I did at work 40 years ago, they were designed to hang paraffin lamps on to protect Roadworks before battery light's and Nigels plastic netting as a barrier. 🌱Happy Gardening my friend, Terry.

[@SteveRichards]

My wife was just telling me the same history, thanks for the comment mate : all the best - Steve

[@nerllybird]

This is a great idea and much cheaper than buying ready-made. Those road pins are so versatile - I used them to anchor a frame and it was rock solid in the storms. The only problem for me here would be access for weeding (limited time), and the height, as the pigeons massacred my kalettes once they outgrew my diy frame. A brassica tunnel 1/4 this size would set me back £185. Still not sure which way to go 🙄

[@SteveRichards]

I generally put down a good 2" mulch before planting and that takes care of the weeding. Once I take the frame down I use the pins to support the plants. Thing to consider is just draping a net just over the top of the brassicas once they get big and strong, either that or support on stakes with buckets on top : All the best - Steve

[@nerllybird]

That's great, thank you. (Mulching is something I can do on all my beds, of course - I did one at the end of last season and it's the only one that hasn't disappeared under couch grass.)

[@myhillsidegarden3998]

Steve, this looks fabulous! And I'm so glad their is a protector for that end. The netting looks great. Netting is so expensive here in the US. Those pins are going to be multi purpose for you. Thanks for sharing. Have a lovely evening. Catherine

[@tsvetentse]

What a brilliant idea, thank you so much for sharing! I've been looking at so many different options for my brassica cage - wanted something customizable when I move the brassica bed over the years, easy to build, and reasonably priced - this ticks all the boxes!

[@SteveRichards]

Thanks, it's still my standard way to build all of my cages : All the best - Steve

[@rachaelshomemade]

Wow! Brilliant low cost idea!! Cheers Steve 👍🏻

[@kaarrff]

Terrific idea for a cage, thanks Steve. I’ve been struggling with my 4 foot high aluminium frame bought 6 years ago from a big horticultural site (not cheap!). The frame joints seem to crack or split after 3 years and need lots of fiddling to rebuild every year. I’m now converting it to your system so I can still use the aluminium poles and netting but now I will have the flexibility to change the dimensions. Cheers, Pete.

[@SteveRichards]

Thanks for the feedback Pete! : All the best - Steve

[@nerllybird]

My ex-neighbours kept their plot when they moved but left a large netted cage behind. It's collapsed in the storms and they haven't been back for months. Wondering now if I can negotiate it off them for a similar hybrid effort!

[@50shadesofgreen]

what a great idea and it works so well, it modular to so you can add on just by extending !! quick and simple to do too

[@allotmental.]

Fantastic idea. I was thinking of doing this last year but got lazy! 😉

[@minty183]

Thanks so much for this video. I've been puzzling over how to protect my allotment brassicas this year, as I've only grown kales in the past, but have broccoli, romanesco, kalettes this year. Enjoyed your thoughts about netting post-August too. Am about to purchase the fence pins. Thanks again!

[@SteveRichards]

Great, thanks for the feedback Louise, I basically use the fence pins for everything. I'm not sure whether I mentioned it in the video, but when I remove the nets I use the same fence pins to support all the plants : All the best - Steve

[@melcollins1338]

I really like this idea! As you say it can be adapted for different sized beds.

[@SteveRichards]

I've just done another bed today with the same system, worked great : All the best - Steve

[@noga8974]

Very innovative, are you still using it 4 years later?

[@SteveRichards]

Yes, in fact we build all of our frames that way now

[@joycebrown5440]

As always Steve very informative video. Thanks. I have the enviromeshcovering my brassicas with bricks holding down the sides but wanted another option of staking it down as my brassicas are not happy as are being squashed. I've also read that the cabbage moth can shoot it's eggs through the mesh if it's touching the plants. So thanks again for the video it's really appreciated. Joyce

[@SteveRichards]

I had the same problem with fleece, laying on top doesn’t work very well! : all the best - Steve

[@Voodoopaddy]

Looks good Steve. I think I'll adopt this idea for my large brassica beds 😉

[@SteveRichards]

Good luck Keith, let me know how you get on! : all the best - Steve

[@mikehurdiss226]

Very versatile and economical Steve!😁👍

[@SteveRichards]

Mike Hurdiss thanks Mike, I’ve missed you, hope all is well : all the best - Steve

[@p.c.6706]

Sorry about your phone. I've done the same thing. Nearly gave myself a heart attack when I did it! Your set up is perfect. I like this a lot.👍

[@SteveRichards]

Thanks, it game me quite a shock too : all the best - Steve

[@andrea444healing7]

Great idea!! Thankyou for sharing.

[@Rose-tq2xq]

Hello Sir very good idea I am going to do that in my garden. Happy gardening Sir

[@SteveRichards]

Great, let me know how it goes! : All the best - Steve

[@jmch2186]

I did the same myself a few weeks back. Works a treat 👍🏻

[@SteveRichards]

Cool, any tips or ideas I missed? : all the best - Steve

[@jmch2186]

Steve's Seaside Allotment looks like you got it covered Steve. I improvised with the net protector caps by using bottle caps and bluetack ... needs must 😁👍🏻

[@SteveRichards]

That’s a good trick, probably cost about the same tho, unless you get your blue tack in bulk ;-) this technique is a first for me and were always learning.

[@theallotmentbubble9073]

Hi Steve, Yes fence pins are very versatile. I’m lucky that there is a local supplier I can pick them up from at £1 each.

[@SteveRichards]

Oh that’s a good price, still they are a bargain at £1.50 : all the best - Steve

[@SouthpawDavey]

That works great i am just looking at doing mine. I have a couple off old temporary wardrobes the frames off them I am thinking. Thats plan A if not I will go to plan B not that i know what plan B is yet lol. I will post a vid when I do them. Cheers mate all the best Dave ;-)

[@SteveRichards]

Southpaw Davey urban farm. They would work well, I have one disassembled in the garage and I’m thinking of trying to raise the height of the pins a bit by sinking steel pipe in the ground and slipping the pins inside the pipe. : all the best - Steve

[@SouthpawDavey]

Better than just chucking them out I thought ;-)

[@miwah958]

How are you going to access the other plants not near the edges? Crawling??

[@SteveRichards]

The plans at the edges (calabrese, red cabbage) get accessed first and harvested, then I just walk into the bed to access the rest. The nets come off before I need access to the plants in the centre. Forget all that rubbish you hear about compaction when you are walking on 4" of compost : All the best - Steve

[@bertibear1300]

Iam wondering wether to use Charles Dowding method or nets .Cannot decide.

[@SteveRichards]

I think Charles uses nets, but he removed them in July and uses Bacillus Thuringiensis. That's basically the method I use, but remember that Charles isn't on an allotment, his pest profile is completely different to most people, for example ones of his biggest issues are sparrows eating his beets, I've never had that : All the best - Steve

[@dalesman4530]

Very neat but looks much wider than 4m net would cover. Assuming 1m height, surely that bed is a lot more than 2m wide?

[@SteveRichards]

We don't have the net 1m high, we have three beds and they are slightly different widths, but a 4m net covers them all. We just push the fence pins in until we can fix the net. So far I've found that a net is great from April until August and then it actually causes problems, because the brassicas get neglected under the net. Cabbage whites and various moths always find a way in, and are often in the soil anyway, under the nets we don't see them. Also under the nets we miss all sorts of issues, plants falling over in the wind, leaves not being removed etc. So the nets are off now and we are hoping that BT will control the caterpillars and fingers crossed the white fly don't go crazy : All the best - Steve

[@diracify]

Hi Steve, thank you for sharing this method. I’m def gonna try one this year for my brassicas. What sort of size netting are you using there? My beds are 1.5 metres wide; so I think the width of your row of kalettes. My thoughts are 4m width so as to have about 1m high sides…

[@SteveRichards]

4m will be plenty wide enough, here's the links to what I use www.notion.so/steverichards/Growing-under-cover-a48de72c83064d07a945eeb111cf7027#611b39d96f2944279627617b2141eb7a

[@dartmoorlass]

Great video and cost cutting tips. Quick question - what do you use the spring Terry clips for? Am planning to make this frame to protect my Brussel sprouts and cabbages. The Brussels are growing so high, they're bursting out of the smaller veggie cloche I made in March.

[@SteveRichards]

We don't use Terry clips, we do use a few plastic gripper clamp clips to hold the net to the raised bed sides at one end. This video is more up to date kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIrQcn5tpNSGrNk : All the best - Steve

[@suedubai]

Did you join the netting? Looks like you did in the centre? If so how did you join it please?

[@SteveRichards]

I bought it that way Susan : All the best - Steve

[@paulwood238]

Wonder what the metal poles are called

[@SteveRichards]

The FAQ linked in the description. Of my videos has most links. I call them Fence Pins Oypla Safe Net Steel Barrier... www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00AHWECUU?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

[@dd813]

How far apart do you place the fencing pins?

[@SteveRichards]

It depends a little on how good your canes are, but 6ft should be ok length ways and 4 ft across

[@dd813]

@@SteveRichards many thanks. Love this idea. Much better for storing on my small allotment than permanent hoop structures.

[@helendennis7662]

Hi Steve, what sort of spacing are the pins set out at? Can’t quite gauge the scale from the videos. I was going to do hoops like your small raised beds but this might be easier and quicker for two long beds I’m putting in now, well if it ever stops raining! Thanks 👍

[@SteveRichards]

Helen Dennis it doesn’t matter much as they don’t bear much weight. I think mine were roughly 7’ and the canes were 8’ so they overlap. Basically a bit shorter than your canes. Pins and canes are much better than hoops. Also we take our net off when the brassicas reach the top at the end of July. We then reuse the pins to support the brassicas. The plants are big and strong by then, we use BT spray for caterpillars : all the best - Steve

[@helendennis7662]

Steve's Seaside Allotment thanks that’s really helpful, just deciding how many to buy in!

[@michaelforrest4995]

I like it all.... except the cable ties :( , but im a plastic-phobe where it's not absolutely necessary for environmental reasons

[@SteveRichards]

I get it, but they are very convenient, as I was doing i was thinking to myself that maybe hemp string would do the job just as well. The plastic used in the cable ties has about the same environmental impact as a drive to the plot and I went on my bike : all the best - Steve

[@karmie87]

£70 when they sell cabbages for 40p. I grow my own veg but no wonder most people are put off when the farmers can wipe out biodiversity and charge pennies for their crops 😢

[@SteveRichards]

This is quite an old video so I'm assuming that the £70 refers to the cost of the net and fence pins? If so it's worth remembering that the pins last forever and the net for about 5 years, so lets say £15/year. If I were only growing cabbages in the bed that would still be hard to justify, but this year I'm growing kale for spring, kalattes, cabbages, sprouts, calabrese and 120 leeks, the previous crop (from Jan-April) yielded £300 of veg, the calabrese crop will yield £20, the kale £20, the kalattes £60, the sprouts £40, the leeks £40 and the cabbages £20 at supermarket organic prices. So that's £600 of lovely organic veg, that you'd actually struggle to buy where we live, organic veg being in short supply. We don't do it for the money of course, but everything we do pays back in the first year : All the best - Steve