About three years ago we planted a small redcurrant bush in the garden. It had been given to us by a family member as a small cutting. For the last two years we have been teased by a huge crop of juicy redcurrants that we’ve been about to pick only to be beaten to the fruit by the local wildlife. The main suspects in this currant crime are the over weight pigeons that constantly loyter in our garden.
This year I am determined to outwit the pigeons. I want to ensure we get to enjoy the glut of red currants we should have every summer. I don’t really have the space or inclination for a large, expensive fruit cage with aluminum frame. So instead started researching cheaper, more DIY approaches.
After much searching I found these excellent Figo Cane connectors. They are soft rubber connectors that allow you to easily connect standard bamboo canes together. Their real advantage compared to other similar products I found is that they allow you to easily connect canes with quite differing thicknesses.
The Build Process
Once the connectors arrived the cage was quickly built by forming a square roughly a bit larger than the foot print of the bush. Next I simply cut the four vertical canes to size, pushed them into the ground and connected the square ‘top’. Next I simply wrapped the cage in netting and made some improvised pegs from metal wire in order to stop the birds from creeping under the net.
Finally I secured the netting to the canes with some cable ties. Time will tell but the cage looks very secure, has a slim profile. As a result it should survive strong wind. More importantly I see no way how any pesky pigeons will be able to get at our precious red currants.
DIY Fruit Cage Results
This simple solution has kept the pigeons away from our fruit and ensured we get a great harvest from our bushes. We love the fact they are quick to put up and take down so when they are not need they can be packed away and not make the garden look cluttered.
