Would this be a possible galvanized solution?

[Markitude]

I have read several threads/posts on here about searching for an alternative to making tomato cages out of the rusty CRW. As was mentioned, the galvanized fencing generally available has openings that are too small, which means that some creative work-arounds are needed in order to get access to the fruit. The field fencing with the larger openings are not rigid enough. Also, these alternatives, and even CRW, are hard to find in widths above 5 or sometimes 6ft.

I found some Deer and Wildlife Fence that looks real promising and am wondering if anyone knows how it would work as tomato cage material. It has openings that are 6 inches wide( looks like the other dimension varies?)and is galvanized.

It comes in a 6 ft height with a reasonable length of 165 ft for $144:

http://www.ruralking.com/red-brand-d...ard-70253.html

And one at the seemingly perfect height of 8ft and 12 gauge instead of 14(also apparently a studier "cross-lock" knot construction:
but apparently only comes in 330 ft rolls for $476:

http://www.ruralking.com/red-brand-d...not-78206.html

More detail on each can be found here under the Deer and Wildlife fence tab on the left.

www.redbrand.com

Shipping looks like it would be $145 for either roll "straight from factory", or even for 2 or 3 rolls, but I am wondering if I could talk my local RuralKing into ordering some for me to the store.

Any thoughts or experience with this?

Mark

[Redbaron]

My experience with it is the openings on the bottom are too small and a pain. Stockyard panels are much better if you get the ones with larger openings at the bottom.

But generally we used the cheaper cattle fencing and although not tall, simply let the tomato vines tumble over the top. Still better than the cheap cages they sell at the stores.

[sprtsguy76]

I personally didn't like the cross lock knot. I prefer tack welded wire , much more rigid imo.

Damon

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

[RebelRidin]

IMHO Those 4" openings just won't do.

[Markitude]

Thanks for the feedback. I found some more specific specs.

For the 8ft tall fence:

20 horizontal wires spaced: 6@3", 2@4", 2@5", 3@6", 6@7".

So only the first 18 inches has 6" X 3" openings and the next 8" has 6"X4".

Only the bottom 26" would have less than 6"X5" openings.

And I think it might be smarter to turn it upside down. Then up to 6ft tall the openings would not be smaller than 6"X5".

Now that I have gotten all that out of my system, I have made a discovery that probably everyone knew but me...

I knew you could turn the FLAT panels either way you wanted to make tall and narrow or shorter and wider cages. But the widest flat panels I found were 4ft so that would be some pretty skinny cages at 15" wide. And 4ft tall is too short.

However, apparently it is going to work to turn the 5ft X 150ft rolls around too. If I roll them at 90 degrees to their original direction, apparently they will still be rigid enough and 19" diameter and as tall as I want to make them.

I tested this out on a couple of old wire mesh cages that the former owners had left here.

Problem solved.

[Markitude]

BTW, if anyone is thinking about giving the 8 ft fence a go( benefit=no rust and 8ft, downside= 330 ft/400lb roll and some small openings), I did talk to my local Rural King. They said they could order it for zero shipping on the next truck.

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by Markitude

Thanks for the feedback. I found some more specific specs.

For the 8ft tall fence:

20 horizontal wires spaced: 6@3", 2@4", 2@5", 3@6", 6@7".

So only the first 18 inches has 6" X 3" openings and the next 8" has 6"X4".

Only the bottom 26" would have less than 6"X5" openings.

And I think it might be smarter to turn it upside down. Then up to 6ft tall the openings would not be smaller than 6"X5".

Now that I have gotten all that out of my system, I have made a discovery that probably everyone knew but me...

I knew you could turn the FLAT panels either way you wanted to make tall and narrow or shorter and wider cages. But the widest flat panels I found were 4ft so that would be some pretty skinny cages at 15" wide. And 4ft tall is too short.

However, apparently it is going to work to turn the 5ft X 150ft rolls around too. If I roll them at 90 degrees to their original direction, apparently they will still be rigid enough and 19" diameter and as tall as I want to make them.

I tested this out on a couple of old wire mesh cages that the former owners had left here.

Problem solved.

Yep, that works too!

[Markitude]

Actually, now that I think about it. The old cage was 4ft by 7ft so it was probably originally a flat panel. So now I am not sure though I did unroll it from the way they originally rolled it and rerolled it the opposite way and it was all good.

So I am assuming it should work with the rolls??

[Redbaron]

It has been many years since I made cages out of old fencing. But I do remember making tall narrower ones by going horizontal. I believe, if I remember correctly, the issue was they get tippy.

[Markitude]

I am hoping that will be solved by a few well-placed( but only 2 or 3 ft long) stakes as long as the cages themselves are rigid enough to stay up straight if the bottoms are anchored.

[tjg911]

i don't like it. i doubt this is a sturdy enough fence material like crw is sturdy so it may start to collapse under the weight of the plant and especially fruits. those holes are not large enough. you need 6" square everywhere - what are you going to do when there are tomatoes in the smaller grid area? maybe cherries or patio sized fruits but for regular to full sized and forget large beefsteaks - no way.

what's the deal with rust? it blends in with the brown of spring, fall and winter. in summer you don't see it due to the green leaves. so you want the sun reflecting off galvanized wire?

it's your garden and your money but i'd stick with crw.

tom

[Doug9345]

I suspect the problem some people have with the rust is that it stains everything it comes in contact with. I'm light skinned which means I have to work to get rust stains off them. It gets onto anything you touch and from there onto clothes.

[Markitude]

The rust was secondary. I am looking for height primarily. Five foot just don't cut it for me.

[Doug9345]

There's no reason you can't make 2 four foot ones and stack them. I'd fasten them together with cable ties or wire. I also posted in another thread that I'd think about making them square by bending each CRW panel to a right angle the long way and then fastenning them together.

[tjg911]

anchoring an 8' crw cage with a tomato plant 8' tall with the wind blowing, well you'll need a very good anchoring system.

i use 5' crw cages. i use two 1/4" rebar stakes opposite each other to anchor the cage. they are five foot high and i pound them 2.5' into the ground. most of my tomato plants already have their cage leaning. the sun gold plant is 2' above the top of it's cage. i don't think i'd want an 8' cage.

tom