CAGED FOR SAFETY
15 August 2005

Birds ate the raspberries, slugs devoured the strawberries, grubs of the dreaded carrot fly made holes in the carrots, pigeons tore holes in the brassicas. I have heard it all before and you have only yourself to blame.

Protection is the best form of control.

Think cage. Not just for the growing of fruit but include the vegetables. They can be grown between the permanent rows of cane and bush fruit.

Fine for birds but what about the slugs, snails and the carrot fly I hear you cry.

Carrot fly have an Achilles heel. They have no head for heights and can only fly up to 18-20 inches. If you surround the lower 24 inches of the netted cage with clear plastic sheet or horticultural fleece then the fly will be prevented from laying its eggs in the soil beside the carrots.

There is no way of keeping slugs and snails out of a fruit cage. You can however make it such an inhospitable place that they pack their bags and slide off elsewhere.

Cover the floor of the cage with landscape fabric and a 1 inch mulch of washed horticultural grit. They hate crawling over the rough surface on their bare tummies.

Raise trusses of strawberry fruit clear of the ground on a bed of loose straw.

Nightly visits with a torch will catch those with cast iron skin.

Make very sure that the cage is secure. Check that there are no holes where small birds can gain admission. They may not be able to escape, remaining caged to eat every single fruit.

Put a note on the gate reminding you to close it behind you.

The cover can be either galvanised, small mesh netting wire or fine plastic netting supported on a steel or timber frame.

Another advantage is the ability to work in the dry. Throw a plastic sheet over the roof and tie it in place. Even in the rain you can plant and prune with pleasure.

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