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Old July 11, 2017   #7
clkeiper
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Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ohio
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Originally Posted by Dewayne mater View Post
Dr. Carolyn - LOL! I believe we are in the times Dickens described in the tale of two cities, but, I was really referring growing many delicious tomatoes, only to have most raided by pests! Maybe Sisyphus would have been a better comparison!

CL - electric poultry netting? I like the sound of that! I don't think I bird netting will be effective on rats - not sure on the possums. It does need to be open to keep airflow and temps from rising - so plastic is out. Rats and possums have proven to be effective climbers going 5 feet off the ground to munch, so I was thinking full enclosure, but hadn't consider electricity to discourage climbing...interesting. If you get a chance, I'd love to see what you mean by fencing the corn at 8" and 24". Meaning an electric wire?
yep... electric fence wire. we bought step in stakes at TSC. they are a fiberglass stake with three black wire holders which can be adjusted to a desired height. you set up your electric fencer right out in the weather if it is a solar one and under shelter if it is an electric one. you can run as many wires as you want I suppose but the lower the better for the rats and squirrels. we fence about an acre of corn every year. lots of work. dripping with sweat when we are done putting up a section but it is worth the effort to get the crop.
I wasn't thinking you would use plastic, just using the structure without the plastic and birdnetting (which is very tough) instead. you could ziptie the netting to the arches and wirelock/wigglewire ( a bit more of an investment but much easier to finish the job and take it off and put it on in the Spring if you remove it for a season) the netting at the bottom of the house.
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Last edited by clkeiper; July 11, 2017 at 03:51 PM.
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