Vegetable / Fruit Plant Cage

Trust me, you need this if you love your vegetables and fruits, and don't want it to be destroyed by squirrels or raccoons.

I believe we have some smart animals in our neighborhood, so I had to try my best to save my plants, veggies and fruits. I did tried the plastic cage and I really need to know what they apply to their teeth, as they had cut through it. So it was time for me to take next step being more tougher and let them know who owns the field.

I purchased everything from Dollar store, each piece of final result cost me less than $10 and hope this helps all plant, veggie and fruit lovers without harming any animal.

Supplies

Wire cage, wire mesh, thick round aluminium dish (for cake), wire, wire pliers or cutter and pair of thick glove for safety, small pieces of rope for handle (optional)

While buying the wire mesh and the cage, ensure that your cage is a bit (3 to 6 inch) longer than the width of wire mesh (refer 3rd picture in step 3), else you need to add another piece of wire mesh or cut and reduce the width.

Step 1: Initiate Wrapping Wire Mesh Around the Cage

Safety first, so wear the thick gloves before you start. Now lets start with opening the wire mesh and try to flatten it out a bit, with some physical force. Hold the cage vertical and wrap the wire mesh around it, as shown in the picture. Tie the wire end to hold the wire mesh to the cage, as shown in the picture.

Step 2: Stitch One Edge of Wire Mesh to the Upper Rim of Cage

Now this step is optional, in the sense if you are not comfortable using long wire to stitch one edge of wire mesh to the upper rim of cage, then use small pieces of wire to tie every second or third wire mesh square opening. I prefer to stitch and as soon as you complete all around the cage rim, allow it to overlap a bit, say by one or two columns and firmly tie the wire and cut of excess, ensure that the wire ends are not sticking out.

Step 3: Optional: Cut Off Excess Wire Mesh

Now if you think you have too much wire mesh in excess that you can cut it of and make another, that cut the excess. But be careful, if you are afraid of cutting it than continue wrapping and stitching the wire mesh edge to the cage rim, until you finish wrapping till the end of wire mesh.

Step 4: Tie the Two Open Vertical Edges of the Wire Mesh to Form Cylinder

Now we should stitch the open vertical edges of the wire mesh to form cylinder. You can stitch as we did previously, as I was left with small piece of wire I prefer to tie at 4 places at approximately equal distance over the width of wire mesh. The picture shows the first tie and another picture shows another tie at some distance, cut of the excess.

Step 5: Make Three to Four Holes at Equal Distance on the Aluminium Dish

Use a sharp tool or the wire cutter / pliers to make three to four holes at equal distance on the aluminium dish and we will use it to cap off the top open end.

Step 6: Tie the Aluminium Dish to the Top Open End of the Cage

Tie the aluminium dish to the top open end of the cage, with the pieces of wire. Ensure that you have no wire sticking out, tuck them into the cage as shown in the picture.

Step 7: Optional: Handles

Optional: You can make handles to easily pull it out, so I used two piece of rope and tied into a loop at two opposite ends, as I don't want to take risk holding it from wires or tear of the aluminium dish while removing the cage.

Step 8: Using the Cage

While placing the cage around your plant ensure that your plant is at the center of the cage, or the cage is equally spaced around your plant. Besides do not apply force at the center of the aluminium dish, apply pressure over the edge of the dish, where the wire mesh is stitched to the cage. Push the cage in the soil such that at least two to three lower rows of wire mesh enters into the soil, if it requires than dig some soil around the cage and allow the cage to go deep in the soil such that two to three wire rows are below the soil top surface and pour the soil back.

If you feel that the wire mesh would rust, than apply spray paint on it or apply a plastic sheet with holes enough for sunlight, air and water to enter, inside the cage if you feel safe.

Now I just hope that they don't dig their way in, if in case they do, then I have planned to place my plant in a pot and use this cage up side down, place the pot in it, tie the open ends and hang it.

Best of Luck !