[JohnB47]

Can anyone advise me on the relative merits of knotted polythene netting as opposed to the extruded polyethylene type? I'm looking at this site and it suggests the knotted stuff for the roof.

http://www.wmjames.co.uk/fruit-cage-netting.htm

Does that mean it's stronger and possibly longer lasting overall? I might just use it on the sides as well.

Any other pros and cons or general advice?

Ta.

[Trillium]

It appears that both are strong enough for the roof and it's more a matter of your wallet size. If you have crawling pests that might climb to the roof for entry, then you'd need to consider their weight, plus any snow loads you might get if you leave the cage up all year round. If birds are your main problem, either would do as birds will almost never try to land on netting. Their greatest fear is getting their feet caught. Pigeons will land and try to walk under netting if possible so be sure the bottom netting is well pegged or held down.

[gillie]

Fruit cage wall netting is semi rigid and fairly easy to erect.

The knotted roof netting is very stretchy. It will change its shape as you put it on.  Our roof is tied to the side netting.  I think that if the side netting stretched as well you would have a very saggy shapeless cage. 

Our main problem is blackbirds and they seem able to get through any small gap. Our raspberries and red currants grow at least seven feet high and birds will land on the net and peck through it to get at fruit.  You may need to put wire netting round the bottom of the cage to stop rabbits chewing their way through.

In the winter we take the roof off as even a small amount of snow weighs it down a lot and can contort the frame.  When we put the roof on we thread string through the two nets in such a way that it can be undone quickly, remembering that we might have to release it in a hurry in almost blizzard conditions if we have been caught out.  There can be enough snow in April to wreak a cage, so we will not be putting the roof back on for a while yet.

[JohnB47]

Fruit cage wall netting is semi rigid and fairly easy to erect.

The knotted roof netting is very stretchy. It will change its shape as you put it on.  Our roof is tied to the side netting.  I think that if the side netting stretched as well you would have a very saggy shapeless cage. 

Our main problem is blackbirds and they seem able to get through any small gap. Our raspberries and red currants grow at least seven feet high and birds will land on the net and peck through it to get at fruit.  You may need to put wire netting round the bottom of the cage to stop rabbits chewing their way through.

In the winter we take the roof off as even a small amount of snow weighs it down a lot and can contort the frame.  When we put the roof on we thread string through the two nets in such a way that it can be undone quickly, remembering that we might have to release it in a hurry in almost blizzard conditions if we have been caught out.  There can be enough snow in April to wreak a cage, so we will not be putting the roof back on for a while yet.

Thanks to you both - most informative. gillie - having seen some cages damaged by the pre Christmas snow, I will definitely take your advice regarding the quick release of the roof netting and keeping it off until it's really needed.

One further question though - if both types of netting are equally strong and the extruded type is easier to handle, why not use it for the roof too? Particularly if the roof is to be taken off and put back on every year.

[gillie]

"if both types of netting are equally strong and the extruded type is easier to handle, why not use it for the roof too?"

I wondered about that, but as far as I know the extruded type is only available up to a width of about eight feet.  Our fruit cage is big.  Stitching together several widths of the extruded netting, rolling the thing up and then getting it on top of the cage would be quite a performance and the net would not fold down over the side netting very well. 

Our knitted netting roof is rolled and then the roll doubled and twisted into a manageable size when it is not in use.  Putting it up needs calm tempers, not too much wind and a cloudy day, but I think it is easier than dealing with a semi-rigid roll.

One other thing - the cable ties are fine to use on a summers day, but stiffen in the cold.  The S-hooks are fiddly and pretty useless.  Hence our use of bits of string.  I use a plant label with a hole in it as a 'needle' and thread string through both nets.

[JohnB47]

Thanks gillie.

It's great to get the benefit of your experience - everything you say makes perfect sense to me. I would certainly have made mistakes without your advice.

Cheers.

[kennykoala]

It appears that both are strong enough for the roof and it's more a matter of your wallet size. If you have crawling pests that might climb to the roof for entry, then you'd need to consider their weight, plus any snow loads you might get if you leave the cage up all year round. If birds are your main problem, either would do as birds will almost never try to land on netting. Their greatest fear is getting their feet caught. Pigeons will land and try to walk under netting if possible so be sure the bottom netting is well pegged or held down.

Can anyone advise me on the relative merits of knotted polythene netting as opposed to the extruded polyethylene type? I'm looking at this site and it suggests the knotted stuff for the roof.

http://www.wmjames.co.uk/fruit-cage-netting.htm

Does that mean it's stronger and possibly longer lasting overall? I might just use it on the sides as well.

Any other pros and cons or general advice?

Ta.

g,day i av an orchard which is covered by 30mm chicken wire,12ft high x 24ft wide. i av 1 golden delicius apple tree outside orchard,lorikeets use,t to desimate all apples,i hammered into ground 4 galvanised star post 1 on each corner,then bolted some sticks 2inchs x 1 inch hard wood to each post,then 2 across top middle,so you av 4 sticks on roof,cover top only with 30mm chicken wire,then round all sides fix your bird netting,leave a overlap on to sides so you can get fruit,i did this at bigging of season just as fruit was forming,top idea fixxed the problem,blooming birds eat nomore of my apples,it is worth taking the time to doit this way then sit back and enjoy your fruit goodluck,kenny from auss.