Ken, I could really use something like your cage! Thanks for posting it, and where would I find one?

Ken. Thanks for your post.
The Crop Cages from Garden Supply Co. are 8x4x6 and have two doors.
Believe me if I was younger I would attempt the PVC and netting altho it is giving me ideas. I don't need a roof.

Yes, Jo Ann, it is easy cutting and putting light-gage PVC together. If you want to store it during the off-season, you wouldn't want to glue it though.

Mine came from "Best Nest". The heavy plastic mesh is something that Lowe's has and it is sold in rolls.

Thanks, Ken. I have one on my "To buy" list!

Oh my, that Best Nest website is full of things we all need!

I LOVE Best Nest.I'll check them out.

Just checked it out.It is a bit smaller than the one on Garden Supply. GS is more expensive but has 2 doors which I need plus assembly is easier.
I found other stuff on Best Nest. I have many of their metal trellises. No fences here but I can trellis an area to keep deer out. Grandson and I built this Apple Tree coral last year.Not the best image but all I have.GS fashioned a door on the narrow end.These are columnar apple trees,no wide branches,apples grow on short limbs at the trunk.

Ken, the site I'd like to use the cage is on a hilltop and our normal winds are about 20mph, with gusts to 40mph. Do you think it would hold up, or turn into a twisted mess?

Karen, I only used the cage for one year and it stood up to severe thunderstorms with 60 mph winds. We get thunderstorms all year long. All I did was anchor the cage with stakes/cords. Being an open mesh, the wind doesn't seem to cause much force against the cage.

Thank you, that sounds good. I'm so happy you showed your photos and gave us the website.

Karen. I use rebar or some sort of stake and attach the cage to the stake with cable ties purchased at HD or hardware store.

Thanks everyone who shares their experiences here and other news also.
I hope we can exchange information about crops and etc.

Here are the Boxes this AM . The netting is frustrating, so glad to have an alternative.

Yes, being able to simply unzip and walk into the cage sure has its advantages. The size allows one to grow practically anything. You can also use it as a full-sun, partial sun, or full shade structure by altering the ceiling structure.

Ken, You are a great source of information.

Those eggplant plants are certainly happy looking, Jo Ann!

Sandy, I suspect the pak of fertilizer that comes with the box kit.
The toms are also huge. Thankfully there are just enough "fruit " produced at any one time that I am not overwhelmed with toms and eggplants.

@ge1836

drdawg said:When I only grew around a half dozen tomato plants, I built "cages" made of stiff, heavy, plastic netting to go around my tomato plants. Deer were not the problem but birds were. I made a "door" on each cage so that it could easily be opened, allowing access to the tomatoes. Some of those cages were 4'x4'x7' (tall). The five pieces were simply cut out and then tied together with the plastic coated wire twists. The cages were inexpensive, easy to make, and quite effective.

When I expanded my number of plants to a dozen or so, I purchased a cage. That cage was around 6'x8'x7' and had metal, tubular framing and nylon mesh walls, ceiling, and a zippered door. It worked well and was not expensive.

Really neat Ken, effective and attractive.

Looking back, that cage is actually around 11' long.

ge1836 said:Sandy, I suspect the pak of fertilizer that comes with the box kit.
The toms are also huge. Thankfully there are just enough "fruit " produced at any one time that I am not overwhelmed with toms and eggplants.

The perfect amount!