What a super, no-nonsense, practical demonstration - providing everything I need to know in regard to making my first hooped cover. Thanks a lot Andy. 👍
Excellent down to earth easy to understand explanation. Just what I was looking for to construct a tall sturdy net tunnel. Much appreciated. Thank you.
Brilliant update thank you for sharing this. We do already have netted/domed frames on the plot but the way you anchor yours down is fab we will certainly be using this. Happy Gardening 🌻🌱🌽
I'm really delighted to hear you are giving it a go. Feel free to ask for help, my subscribers are all gardening fans and between us we should be able to answer any questions you have. Stay safe, all the best, Andy
@@andy160676I have pretty much the same system as you but the wind was a massive problem this year so I had some bugey cords around the bottom while the large exercise bands work a treat and quick to remove. Great video and good luck with the growing season.
Thanks for yet another very useful video Andy. Lots of good tips! I’ll definitely be buying some new netting ; your debris netting is much finer than the netting I’ve been using. I’ve had the dreaded “whites” getting into my brassicas. Thanks again 🙂👍
Thank you Steve, the netting might seem a little expensive but a 50m roll will cover a heck of a lot of ground so its handy if there are a few of you that chip in together and share it between yourselves. All the best Andy
As an allotment 'newbie', I wish I'd come across this really useful and detailed video 12 months ago! If all your videos are like this, I'm definitely going to subscribe to your channel! Thank you.
Wow. Thank you so much for showing that step-by-step. I really appreciate it. I am new to gardening and I probably would have gotten frustrated and given up . It's a job that doesn't come together instantly. So I will remind myself to be patient. Thank you.!!
You are more than welcome Kris and any questions you have please feel free to ask. The people who comment here are full of knowledge too and very friendly, we all help each other. We were all new to gardening once. All the best, Andy
Thanks for the video Andy. We had a couple of old tents that we used to make one for the brassicas. We used aluminium tent poles to drop the flexable poles into and across the top. We had the green net like you but had to change it for white because our neighbour doesn't bother with his garden so it is darker once the trees/shrubs come into leaf which all seem to hang over our garden.
Thank You, my brother in law has the same problem where his neighbour has a massive tree so we keep going up every couple of years to thin the branches out, i even mentioned to him about painting the fence panels white at the bottom of the garden to help reflect the light around better. All the best Andy
Really valuable information. Thanks so much Andy. It's fortuitous that you had to flip the ends...for those who come against similar situations, & now they'll know what to do. One of the many good tips you have in this vid. Cheers
Hi Andy, What a superb idea. Much better than the way I did mine which was to make a frame & screw in the pipe. Only problem with that is I now have a contraption on my plot that always gets in the way lol. Thank's for sharing.
Ive done it myself Rod and even though its good to have things built ready but storage is the problem hence why i went over to makeshift pop up when ever you need it sort of design. All the best Andy
Fantastic advice . I have tried to make one of three Strawberry cloches. Did not turn out as good as yours. Had a similar problem of a tight space up against a wall. Cant wait to demolish and do it your way.
I decided to make this video because people kept asking, keep things simple and they usually work well. Unless Mother Nature decides otherwise. All the best, Andy
Another invaluable tip....using the waste pipe to cut the water pipe....Genuis 😄👍🏻. Could maybe also cut little saw cut window at 1ft & 2ft into the 3mtr waste for measuring shorter lengths. Cheers mate 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks Nigel It was something i used to do on site, as a plumber fighting with muddy coils of pipe is no fun in the rain lol. good tip on the little windows for markers. All the Best Andy
If you look after the netting you should get 4-5 seasons or more, submerge the netting in water over winter or when not in use. This will drown any weed seeds. All the best, Andy
Great video. Thanks for sharing. My winter brassicas are ready to plant out from the greenhouse but the whites are still on wing. My aim is to go with your method I think! Nice and neat and sturdy. Good man!
Really good advice and tips for sturdy nets. I use ping pong balls for the ends of the canes. It looks a bit mad but it prevents the kids from poking their eyes out when they're running around.
Great Tip with the ping pong Balls, i have some mushroom cane caps down at the allotment but ive uses little yogurt bottles in the past. All the Best Andy
@@andy160676 I use those too - OH drinks them. I've also bought bags of cheap, small rubber bath toys and melted out holes underneath big enough for a cane - mad, but effective. The small bottles are ready to use, plentiful and free. They could even be cut into tiny planters.
Hi mate, great video showing how you create a very sturdy net tunnel. I need to make a low one for my strawberries to protect them from the birds once the fruit is set. Take care. Nick
Cheers Nick, my strawberry bed is long and thin so its pretty easy to cover and remove to harvest. but my blueberries were getting hammered by blackbirds so i built the fruit cage and problem solved ,so i just end up with masses of blueberries now lol All the Best Andy
Thank you Andrew that’s a brilliant demonstration I wish I took Peter ages ago when I did mine because it collapsed no I know what to do properly thank you very much
Thank you for the ideas. It's 2022 spring in Canada at the time of my comment. I have a 4x8 raised bed and hope to extend the growing season in the fall but also extend it by growing earlier in the spring next year, so need ideas for the inground new bed as well. Thanks to you I've switched from putting in small dowels for the tubing to sit on to longer pipes attached to the bed. My trellis will be the top support. It will be about 4' higher than the bed and instead of netting will have plastic to keep the frost off or/and shade cloth. Not sure yet how that works. So thanks.
Thanks for watching Wendy, and it is the best way to find wat works by just trying something and once you have cracked it your onto a winner and im sure your mini poly covers will keep most of the frost at bay. im going to try and create something similar next year to grow peppers better outdoors using a similar idea to my onion drying rack cover which will be coming out again soon. All the best Andy
I've a form made up so I can shove a bending spring inside the alkathene, heat it with a hot air paint stripper then cool to give 150mm radius corners. 600mm of thin, 19mm ally tube shoved in the centre for a flat top.
Thanks again, managed to make my first one, still not as good as yours (never was much good at DIY, even worse now with arthritis 😂) but it’ll suffice to keep them pesky butterflies & insects off my food. Wife seems impressed, thank you.
My main issue is stopping deer from eating everything - they have free reign to do a tour every single day. I've found voile very effective, but they'll try to eat through any kind of mesh. I've been looking for the most cost effective way of setting up supports for covers and I like yours. I want to be able to lift the covers off easily, though, so I'll probably put batons underneath the piping and probably drill into them rather than use cable ties - I find they don't last long anyway, perhaps the batch I bought was substandard, but they just fall apart outside in our weather. I'm planning on attaching each long end of the voile wound a couple of times around lengths of baton with staples and using green garden velcro - wonderful stuff and lasts forever, almost - to gather the ends, weighing a chunk of fabric down with a heavy stone. I'll weigh the wood down with stone too. For extra security, I plan on making paracord lines, weighted at both ends, to give extra strength against the wind. To remove, I then just need to undo the velcro, remove all the stones at the ends and on one side at least and lift the baton right over onto the other side. In the past, I've just covered beds in voile and held it with wood and stones, but the deer get in when that isn't enough to hold it on windy days. Knowing the exact names of the piping to buy is fantastic, so thank you for taking the time to explain it all.
It would be stronger using the timber batons instead of canes, since i started using this way to cover my beds over 15yrs ago ive never looked back and found the only damage is by anything that can dig its way in of tiny insects that can get through the small mesh but apart from that its nice to not loose crops after a lot of hard work spent sowing the seeds and planting them out. All the Best Andy
Yes 5m is a fair span to cover and would need some uprights to help support it but 50mm is alright just be careful cutting it as it has some power if it flicks back at you. All the Best Andy
Excellent tutorial with some clever ideas especially the idea about sorting one end and then switching it around. What is the approx cost of this project?
Thank You Harry, id probably say about £8 - £10 for everything and should last at least netting should last over 5 years at least only other things that will fail are canes any wood as the water pipe will last as long as you need it. All the best Andy
Thanks Andy. I'm new to veg gardening. I followed your non-nonsense practical instructions for this, and have successfully built my own! I'd like to post a photo of it for your subscribers ...(how?)
Thanks Rob, im not sure how you post photos but you could email me it and i can put it in one of my next videos. growyourowngrub76@gmail.com Cheers Andy
Hi Helen if you google 25mm MDPE pipe you will find out the cheapest prices at the moment and your nearest stockist. Most plubming supplies stock it but also Screwfix and toolstation are usually a good price. Hope this helps Andy
Just found you today. have been wanting to know how long to cut my blue pipe for ages and this has been a mega help. Would I be able to leave this structure up permanently as I would find it too much to keep taking it up and down. Thank you so much 😃
Thanks for a very good video, I like how you showed real time how you did everything, without music or drama! The "hoop house" turned out really great! I keep looking for an explanation of how to do the math to figure out how long to make the pipes that bend over for different size beds. Does anyone know a simple math formula? If a bed is 4' wide and you want a hoop to be let's say, 3' high at centre, how do you figure it? I don't have any hoops to hold up and guess with it.
Thank you, i tend to find a 4ft bed is good with 2m of pipe and 5 ft bed i use 3m pipe but if its a tall crop il use 3m on a 5ft bed, i can seem to find a way to calculate it but one way would be to use a length of string and work it out flat on the ground then use the string as a length guide which would get you very close to what you need. All the best Andy
They do better if they are well firmed in at planting time as this helps to stop them blowing. There are some shorter varieties you can try out www.seekay.co.uk/brussels-sprout-early-half-tall---appx-150-seeds-1127-p.asp
@@ericandrachallotmenteers i found if i get the net really tight round the bed most slugs dont get in. Id thought about putting a batton around the top to create a lip for the net to go over but so far only place ive spotted them getting in is at the end where the net gathers up. Ive mulched before with manure with shavings in and because the surface was quite spikey they tended to not moving on it. Cheers Andy
Hi, for repairs ive used bits of fishing line to close the tears up but if i get a hole i patch it with an off cut smeared with clear silicone around the edges as once is pressed on i wipe some of the excess away and it lasts for years. hope this helps and when i come across it again i will add it in one of my videos on repairing a hole. thanks for watching Andy
Thank you, i tend to just use sections of canes around 14- 16 mm about 2ft long so there is a good 12- 18 inch inside the hoop, then just weed membrane pegs about 6-8 inch will hold it down. All the best Andy
Thank you, i simply remove a peg from one end and 2 from the side i want to lift shen it will just lift up and then i can acess the area i need. I will be putting a video up soon on how to get into them as its a question that gets asked a lot so im due to go down to the allotment this afternoon so il do a short video on accessing the beds and put it on here this evening around 6pm All the best Andy
Is that Aluminium foil sheets at the back by the fence to stop plants growing forwards towards the light? Not sure if I can see through or not. Anyway, thanks, it's a brilliant idea and I'll get some mylar for mine!
An excellent video and really well explained. Thank you. I have a metal raised bed which has 60cm sides. Do you think I could use your method or would the sides be a problem? I was thinking there may be a problem 'getting in' it.
Thanks Wayne, I imagine it would work fine as you only have to pull the net over the edge a few inches and maybe put some hooks on to attach the netting too, its worth trying out and hopefully it works well for you. All the best Andy
Hi Julie, thanks for watching, 4m would be long enough for most things but for things like sprouts they can get tall but there are some out there if you look at some seed companies that should state there finished height. Also i imagine 4m scaffold netting could be found on line to cover it with to protect every thing. All the Best Andy
Leather jackets are the larvae of the crane fly( daddy long legs)they mainly damage grass lands by eating the roots but also they enjoy nibbling of young seedlings at soil level as well as eating the roots. Thanks All the best Andy
Hi Paula im not sure what you mean, the netting i use is probably only 3-4 mm, i guess it depends on whats growing as if things need pollenating id use a simple bird netting thats around 15 - 20mm. I get the net i use from ebay under debris netting. All the best Andy
But how do you work your way in and out this bed with the netting so definitely tightened and in place? Isn't a bit bothersome to open and replace the net each time you have access to your plants inside?
Not at all, I simply pull 2 pegs and lift up the side I want to access. Then when I have finished I lower the net and secure with the pegs - simple! All the best, Andy
Hi I know this has probably been asked before but I'm new to all this and would like to ask what length of pipe would I ues on a 4ft x 10ft bed do I just take the 4ft and double it ?? Many Thanks
Hi Dave ,it depends on the width of net you use but i would say at least 6(2m) - 10ft(3m) pipe curved over the 4ft width a lot depends on expected height of crops being covered. All the best Andy
Thanks for the Tips, I find the copper works but the egg shells are a bit hit and miss, i did notice when i mulched with some manure that had wood shavings in that were quite sharp kept them off completely so i may use that more often. All the best Andy
Its sold on ebay as debris netting/ scaffold netting , i use the 3m wide on most of my beds but the 2m would be ok for most things on a 4ft wide bed but if crops are tall go for the 3m. The mesh stops most bugs but if you want one for carrots use the enviromesh as that is very fine. All the best Andy
I dont think so, some say green reflects light more than other colours but i have used many colours and not found any change in growth. All the best Andy
Depends on what is being protected, I keep out butterflies, slugs and other insects. Using varying sizes of mesh, ie. insect or bird proof mesh will allow some degree of pollination.
I buy it in a coil and cut it in sections a little longer than what ever width net im using, in this case it was the 3m Debris netting which i buy online (Ebay). www.screwfix.com/p/mdpe-pipe-blue-25mm-x-50m/19606?tc=WA1&ds_kid=92700055281954514&ds_rl=1249404&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlM3jiIm36gIVi7TtCh1sIQ1kEAQYAiABEgL3l_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Hiya, its pretty easy to get in, i just pull the side pegs and one of the end pegs then lift the net up tp the centre top rail. Ive a clip in a video from ladt year showing how i get in them at around the 14minute mark ruclips.net/video/iw2-X7_jp4s/видео.htmlsi=zrUz9Xyjz910x61W
pete fudge .im afraid i havent but if you take a look on first tunnels website there are instructional build videos for polytunnels. Hooe this helps. Cheers. Andy
Hi mate, I have 3m and 2m netting. I was planning to sew the 2m together to get a 4m width, but your 3m hoops look like a good height. Can you tell me the width of your beds?
Hi Mate,the ones in this video are 4ft wide by 8ft in length, with 3 m net its high enough for sprouts and down my allotment there 5ft wide and there still plenty high enough for most things. All the Best Andy
@@andy160676 excellent, thanks. My beds are 4ft wide too. I think I'll make them 3m in length as it looks plenty tall. It's going to be for my purple sprouting broccoli
Hi Tom, its called MDPE pipe and i use the 25mm, if you shop around online you might find it cheaper but heres a link for a 50m roll. www.screwfix.com/p/mdpe-pipe-blue-25mm-x-50m/19606
I just use these, Sekey Garden Stakes 90cm Plant Support Sticks, Plant Stakes Plastic Coated Steel Tube Sturdy Garden Canes for Veagetable and flowers and Tomatoes (Pack 10pcs) amzn.eu/d/4DgOltd
Its not to bad i simply remove side pegs and lift the sides up and hook it over the ridge cane to keep it there while i weed or harvest. All the best Andy
Hi Liz, its very easy as i just pull usually one of the end pegs and the side pegs and it lifts up so i reach in and plant seedlings then simple just put the pegs back in. All the best for 2021 season Andy
The Blue 25mm water pipe is cut at 3m as the netting used is 3m wide, i also use a 2m set up on some beds. on all the nets i use short cuts of canes or 21mm overflow pipe or similar tube from 30-60 cm long pushed into the ground and then slide the blue pipe over it. All the best Andy
Thats true this neeting is to keep as many insects out as possible, if you want the bees to get in just use 10- 15mm netting instead. All the best Andy
Hi Sam, i simply pull a couple of pegs out and lift a side up then drop it back down once ive finished, but i find with being no dig i tend to only need to weed once or twice at most
We had a Jackdaw for a while and I purchased several cat scarers that emitted a high frequency noise. Pestbye was the brand. They kept cats away and he could rehabilitate in safety. Otherwise net everything or stick plastic forks or sticks in the spare spaces they like to dig. We actually have more problems with squirrels burying their treasures...
Have you tried 3mm coated wire? I take the ties off at the end of the season so they are only in use for a year here too. Thanks for watching. Take care, Andy
Hello Sir wanted to know if you know that there is another RUclips channel called Allotment life that channel has all the gardeners videos wanted to know if you are part of that channel.
No fuss, no faffing, straight to the point demonstration. Thank you
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it
What a super, no-nonsense, practical demonstration - providing everything I need to know in regard to making my first hooped cover. Thanks a lot Andy. 👍
You're very welcome!
Excellent down to earth easy to understand explanation. Just what I was looking for to construct a tall sturdy net tunnel. Much appreciated. Thank you.
Glad you found it helpful.
All the best
Andy
Lovely to see your invaluable help back. Missed you!
Hiya Hazel hope your ok and need a catch up on FB as its been a while.
All the best and Thank you
Andy
Brilliant update thank you for sharing this. We do already have netted/domed frames on the plot but the way you anchor yours down is fab we will certainly be using this. Happy Gardening 🌻🌱🌽
Thank You
I'm new to gardening, this video has answered a lot of my questions. Thank you Andy, it's a massive and much needed help.
I'm really delighted to hear you are giving it a go. Feel free to ask for help, my subscribers are all gardening fans and between us we should be able to answer any questions you have. Stay safe, all the best, Andy
@@andy160676I have pretty much the same system as you but the wind was a massive problem this year so I had some bugey cords around the bottom while the large exercise bands work a treat and quick to remove.
Great video and good luck with the growing season.
Great update as usual Andy, just another update to learn some great tips from!
Thanks Alan, hope your doing well and getting ready for a warm bank holiday weekend,
All the best
Andy
Thanks for yet another very useful video Andy. Lots of good tips! I’ll definitely be buying some new netting ; your debris netting is much finer than the netting I’ve been using. I’ve had the dreaded “whites” getting into my brassicas. Thanks again 🙂👍
Thank you Steve, the netting might seem a little expensive but a 50m roll will cover a heck of a lot of ground so its handy if there are a few of you that chip in together and share it between yourselves.
All the best
Andy
As an allotment 'newbie', I wish I'd come across this really useful and detailed video 12 months ago! If all your videos are like this, I'm definitely going to subscribe to your channel! Thank you.
Thanks Richard, a year on - how are you doing? All the best for 2020, Andy
Wow. Thank you so much for showing that step-by-step. I really appreciate it. I am new to gardening and I probably would have gotten frustrated and given up . It's a job that doesn't come together instantly. So I will remind myself to be patient. Thank you.!!
You are more than welcome Kris and any questions you have please feel free to ask. The people who comment here are full of knowledge too and very friendly, we all help each other. We were all new to gardening once. All the best, Andy
Live this netting idea. I’ve watched a few videos and I think this is my favorite. I won’t have to affix any brackets to my bed with this technique.
Glad it was helpful!
March 2021 It looks great. This is so hugely helpful! I saved it to Favourites. I like how easy it is to break down and store away.
Thank you, im glad you found it helpful.
All the best for the season
Andy
Thanks for the video Andy. We had a couple of old tents that we used to make one for the brassicas. We used aluminium tent poles to drop the flexable poles into and across the top. We had the green net like you but had to change it for white because our neighbour doesn't bother with his garden so it is darker once the trees/shrubs come into leaf which all seem to hang over our garden.
Thank You, my brother in law has the same problem where his neighbour has a massive tree so we keep going up every couple of years to thin the branches out, i even mentioned to him about painting the fence panels white at the bottom of the garden to help reflect the light around better.
All the best
Andy
Thanks Andy, that was a great video. Very concise and informative. Much appreciated.
Thank You and if it helps any gardeners out its all worth while as mother nature can be testing at times
All the best
Andy
Thanks Andy, very well explained for a visual learner like me. Cheers Liz.
Thank You Liz , im a visual learner too and its much easier seeing it done rather than hear or read about it
All the best
Andy
Thanks for this your video is so clear and shows every step. I am really grateful for this.
You are most welcome Margret, im glad you found it helpfull
Thanks this is so helpful! Can’t wait to do this on my new plot next year 👍
Glad you found it helpful
All the best
Andy
What a VERY VALUABLE video! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
Thank you very much for the feedback, hopefully a couple of things will save you time and money.
All the best,
Andy
Really valuable information. Thanks so much Andy. It's fortuitous that you had to flip the ends...for those who come against similar situations, & now they'll know what to do. One of the many good tips you have in this vid. Cheers
Thank You Sophie, its a pain having to flip the nest round but in this situation its about the only way lol
All the best
Andy
Hello Sir this video is really helpful. Thank you now I know how to do my netting for my beds. Happy gardening
Thank You Rose, im glad you found the video helpful and informative
All the best
Andy
Hi Andy, What a superb idea. Much better than the way I did mine which was to make a frame & screw in the pipe. Only problem with that is I now have a contraption on my plot that always gets in the way lol. Thank's for sharing.
Ive done it myself Rod and even though its good to have things built ready but storage is the problem hence why i went over to makeshift pop up when ever you need it sort of design.
All the best
Andy
awesome job Andy !!
Thank you
All the best
Andy
Thanks very much for these tips, it certainly is much tidier than my efforts!
Happy to help!
Fantastic advice . I have tried to make one of three Strawberry cloches. Did not turn out as good as yours. Had a similar problem of a tight space up against a wall. Cant wait to demolish and do it your way.
superb detail so glad i watched this before i made a hash of it today :) A+ SIR!
I decided to make this video because people kept asking, keep things simple and they usually work well. Unless Mother Nature decides otherwise.
All the best,
Andy
Another invaluable tip....using the waste pipe to cut the water pipe....Genuis 😄👍🏻. Could maybe also cut little saw cut window at 1ft & 2ft into the 3mtr waste for measuring shorter lengths. Cheers mate 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks Nigel It was something i used to do on site, as a plumber fighting with muddy coils of pipe is no fun in the rain lol. good tip on the little windows for markers.
All the Best
Andy
Nice one Andy, looks good I just need to build my own now...
If you look after the netting you should get 4-5 seasons or more, submerge the netting in water over winter or when not in use. This will drown any weed seeds.
All the best,
Andy
Great video. Thanks for sharing. My winter brassicas are ready to plant out from the greenhouse but the whites are still on wing. My aim is to go with your method I think! Nice and neat and sturdy. Good man!
Really good advice and tips for sturdy nets. I use ping pong balls for the ends of the canes. It looks a bit mad but it prevents the kids from poking their eyes out when they're running around.
Great Tip with the ping pong Balls, i have some mushroom cane caps down at the allotment but ive uses little yogurt bottles in the past.
All the Best
Andy
@@andy160676 I use those too - OH drinks them. I've also bought bags of cheap, small rubber bath toys and melted out holes underneath big enough for a cane - mad, but effective. The small bottles are ready to use, plentiful and free. They could even be cut into tiny planters.
Great informative video! Thanks very much. Nice to see you aswell. Pat
Thank You Pat
I appreciate your work very much
I appreciate that Marian,
All the Best
Andy
I've learnt a lot from your video. Thank you.
Thanks Derek, hope you are well?
How much it will cost
Hi mate, great video showing how you create a very sturdy net tunnel. I need to make a low one for my strawberries to protect them from the birds once the fruit is set. Take care. Nick
Cheers Nick, my strawberry bed is long and thin so its pretty easy to cover and remove to harvest. but my blueberries were getting hammered by blackbirds so i built the fruit cage and problem solved ,so i just end up with masses of blueberries now lol
All the Best
Andy
Brilliant, thank you so much...Julie
If it helps you out in any way, you are most welcome Julie
All the best
Andy
Thank you Andrew that’s a brilliant demonstration I wish I took Peter ages ago when I did mine because it collapsed no I know what to do properly thank you very much
Thank You Andrew and im glad this video helped you out a bit.
Cheers
Andy
Thanks for the video. Really helped me.
Thank You , Im glad it helped you out
All the Best
Andy
great video, very informative and well done to you.
Thank You Carl
Thank you for the ideas. It's 2022 spring in Canada at the time of my comment. I have a 4x8 raised bed and hope to extend the growing season in the fall but also extend it by growing earlier in the spring next year, so need ideas for the inground new bed as well. Thanks to you I've switched from putting in small dowels for the tubing to sit on to longer pipes attached to the bed. My trellis will be the top support. It will be about 4' higher than the bed and instead of netting will have plastic to keep the frost off or/and shade cloth. Not sure yet how that works. So thanks.
Thanks for watching Wendy, and it is the best way to find wat works by just trying something and once you have cracked it your onto a winner and im sure your mini poly covers will keep most of the frost at bay.
im going to try and create something similar next year to grow peppers better outdoors using a similar idea to my onion drying rack cover which will be coming out again soon.
All the best
Andy
Helpful video, cheers mate.
Im glad you found it helpful
Thanks
Andy
I've a form made up so I can shove a bending spring inside the alkathene, heat it with a hot air paint stripper then cool to give 150mm radius corners. 600mm of thin, 19mm ally tube shoved in the centre for a flat top.
Thanks again, managed to make my first one, still not as good as yours (never was much good at DIY, even worse now with arthritis 😂) but it’ll suffice to keep them pesky butterflies & insects off my food. Wife seems impressed, thank you.
Nice work! Always good to keep the wife impressed! Happy wife = easy life.
Thank you, great video
Glad you liked it and found it helpful
All the best
Andy
My main issue is stopping deer from eating everything - they have free reign to do a tour every single day. I've found voile very effective, but they'll try to eat through any kind of mesh. I've been looking for the most cost effective way of setting up supports for covers and I like yours. I want to be able to lift the covers off easily, though, so I'll probably put batons underneath the piping and probably drill into them rather than use cable ties - I find they don't last long anyway, perhaps the batch I bought was substandard, but they just fall apart outside in our weather. I'm planning on attaching each long end of the voile wound a couple of times around lengths of baton with staples and using green garden velcro - wonderful stuff and lasts forever, almost - to gather the ends, weighing a chunk of fabric down with a heavy stone. I'll weigh the wood down with stone too. For extra security, I plan on making paracord lines, weighted at both ends, to give extra strength against the wind. To remove, I then just need to undo the velcro, remove all the stones at the ends and on one side at least and lift the baton right over onto the other side. In the past, I've just covered beds in voile and held it with wood and stones, but the deer get in when that isn't enough to hold it on windy days. Knowing the exact names of the piping to buy is fantastic, so thank you for taking the time to explain it all.
It would be stronger using the timber batons instead of canes, since i started using this way to cover my beds over 15yrs ago ive never looked back and found the only damage is by anything that can dig its way in of tiny insects that can get through the small mesh but apart from that its nice to not loose crops after a lot of hard work spent sowing the seeds and planting them out.
All the Best
Andy
Put the second cable tie in before you tighten the first one. I just learned that this week 😆
Great video. Thanks.
Glad you liked it Ian
All the best
Andy
I made a 5 x5 metre tunnel this year should have gone with 50mm its bendy but no slug damage happy gardening Richard
Yes 5m is a fair span to cover and would need some uprights to help support it but 50mm is alright just be careful cutting it as it has some power if it flicks back at you.
All the Best
Andy
Great video thank you..
Thank you
Very nicely done
Nice hoop covers Andy. If you cut the ends of the cable tie ends on the underside the netting wont snag. Just a thought.
Enjoy your gardening
good tip, i sometimes use them to snag the ends or keep the net central.
Thanks
Andy
Excellent tutorial with some clever ideas especially the idea about sorting one end and then switching it around. What is the approx cost of this project?
Thank You Harry, id probably say about £8 - £10 for everything and should last at least netting should last over 5 years at least only other things that will fail are canes any wood as the water pipe will last as long as you need it.
All the best
Andy
Thanks Andy. I'm new to veg gardening. I followed your non-nonsense practical instructions for this, and have successfully built my own! I'd like to post a photo of it for your subscribers ...(how?)
Thanks Rob, im not sure how you post photos but you could email me it and i can put it in one of my next videos. growyourowngrub76@gmail.com
Cheers
Andy
I pounded 12 inch pieces of rebar halway into the earth just outside the raised beds and slipped the hoops over the exposed part. Perfect.
I keep meaning to get hold of some rebar to use
Cheers Andy ;)
Thanks for watching - Andy
Really informative video thank you so much. Could you put a link for the pipe at all. That would be so helpful please.
Hi Helen if you google 25mm MDPE pipe you will find out the cheapest prices at the moment and your nearest stockist.
Most plubming supplies stock it but also Screwfix and toolstation are usually a good price.
Hope this helps
Andy
Just found you today. have been wanting to know how long to cut my blue pipe for ages and this has been a mega help. Would I be able to leave this structure up permanently as I would find it too much to keep taking it up and down. Thank you so much 😃
Cable ties on my allotment are a staple of any build I have a load of sizes
They are a fantastic invention Mik
All the best
Andy
Thanks for a very good video, I like how you showed real time how you did everything, without music or drama! The "hoop house" turned out really great! I keep looking for an explanation of how to do the math to figure out how long to make the pipes that bend over for different size beds. Does anyone know a simple math formula? If a bed is 4' wide and you want a hoop to be let's say, 3' high at centre, how do you figure it? I don't have any hoops to hold up and guess with it.
Thank you, i tend to find a 4ft bed is good with 2m of pipe and 5 ft bed i use 3m pipe but if its a tall crop il use 3m on a 5ft bed, i can seem to find a way to calculate it but one way would be to use a length of string and work it out flat on the ground then use the string as a length guide which would get you very close to what you need.
All the best
Andy
@@andy160676 What height do you use for Brussell sprouts ?
@@ibrstellar1080 i would try to get it around 4ft high
@@andy160676 I've always avoided Sprouts as they can be hit and miss and the extra netting as my hoops are only 3ft high.
They do better if they are well firmed in at planting time as this helps to stop them blowing.
There are some shorter varieties you can try out www.seekay.co.uk/brussels-sprout-early-half-tall---appx-150-seeds-1127-p.asp
We copied this Andy. I love it! Use this technique on most our beds now so thank you 👩🏼🌾👍🏽
Rach
Thank you, im glad you found it helps in protecting your crops.
All the Best
Andy
@@andy160676 it does but... doesn't stop the dread slugs having wild parties every night 🤣
@@ericandrachallotmenteers i found if i get the net really tight round the bed most slugs dont get in. Id thought about putting a batton around the top to create a lip for the net to go over but so far only place ive spotted them getting in is at the end where the net gathers up.
Ive mulched before with manure with shavings in and because the surface was quite spikey they tended to not moving on it.
Cheers
Andy
@@andy160676 yeah I've tried that but they always seem to get in. Trying the beer truck again this weekend. So fingers crossed. 😄
A really helpful video. Can you tell me how you repair tears in damaged netting? Thanks
Hi, for repairs ive used bits of fishing line to close the tears up but if i get a hole i patch it with an off cut smeared with clear silicone around the edges as once is pressed on i wipe some of the excess away and it lasts for years.
hope this helps and when i come across it again i will add it in one of my videos on repairing a hole.
thanks for watching
Andy
Great video it helped me a ton. What kind of stakes are you using? Thanks and take care
Thank you, i tend to just use sections of canes around 14- 16 mm about 2ft long so there is a good 12- 18 inch inside the hoop, then just weed membrane pegs about 6-8 inch will hold it down.
All the best
Andy
Thank you! Very neat, but please give advice on how to harvest without wrecking the whole structure?
Thank you, i simply remove a peg from one end and 2 from the side i want to lift shen it will just lift up and then i can acess the area i need.
I will be putting a video up soon on how to get into them as its a question that gets asked a lot so im due to go down to the allotment this afternoon so il do a short video on accessing the beds and put it on here this evening around 6pm
All the best
Andy
Hi Joan Ive just uploaded a video and it shows how i get them.
ruclips.net/video/cjONr4PuO3M/видео.html
Is that Aluminium foil sheets at the back by the fence to stop plants growing forwards towards the light? Not sure if I can see through or not. Anyway, thanks, it's a brilliant idea and I'll get some mylar for mine!
Just plastic, but brilliant white is as good as mylar and cheaper. Thanks for watching, all the best, Andy
An excellent video and really well explained. Thank you.
I have a metal raised bed which has 60cm sides. Do you think I could use your method or would the sides be a problem? I was thinking there may be a problem 'getting in' it.
Should have clarified that by saying sides are 60cm high.
Thanks Wayne, I imagine it would work fine as you only have to pull the net over the edge a few inches and maybe put some hooks on to attach the netting too, its worth trying out and hopefully it works well for you.
All the best
Andy
Nice hoop
Thanks
Nice video
Thanks Brian
Brilliant video. My bed is 180cm wide, will lengths of 4m pipe be long enough do you think? Thanks
Hi Julie, thanks for watching, 4m would be long enough for most things but for things like sprouts they can get tall but there are some out there if you look at some seed companies that should state there finished height. Also i imagine 4m scaffold netting could be found on line to cover it with to protect every thing.
All the Best
Andy
really good video thank you could you tell me what the net is called please.
Hello Mike the netting can be found under scaffold or debris netting online.
All the best
Andy
What are "leather jackets" and what do they do? I've seen them in the soil. Sorry I'm a newbie here. Well made netting frame, thank you for sharing.
Leather jackets are the larvae of the crane fly( daddy long legs)they mainly damage grass lands by eating the roots but also they enjoy nibbling of young seedlings at soil level as well as eating the roots.
Thanks
All the best Andy
I like that netting. The gardening center near me does not carry that type. Did you buy online?
Debris or scaffold netting available on E-bay. That's where I get mine, hope this helps. All the best, Andy
Hi great info. Can I ask what size hole on the netting is best?
Thanks
Hi Paula im not sure what you mean, the netting i use is probably only 3-4 mm, i guess it depends on whats growing as if things need pollenating id use a simple bird netting thats around 15 - 20mm.
I get the net i use from ebay under debris netting.
All the best
Andy
But how do you work your way in and out this bed with the netting so definitely tightened and in place? Isn't a bit bothersome to open and replace the net each time you have access to your plants inside?
Not at all, I simply pull 2 pegs and lift up the side I want to access. Then when I have finished I lower the net and secure with the pegs - simple! All the best, Andy
Sorry if I missed it. How long are your metal poles?
They are around 90cm
Where can I buy that blue 25 mm tubing from......Screwfix
Hiya, yes screwfix, toolstation or most plumbers merchents so its worth ringing round to get the cheapest price you can.
Thanks for watching
Andy
Hi I know this has probably been asked before but I'm new to all this and would like to ask what length of pipe would I ues on a 4ft x 10ft bed do I just take the 4ft and double it ?? Many Thanks
Hi Dave ,it depends on the width of net you use but i would say at least 6(2m) - 10ft(3m) pipe curved over the 4ft width a lot depends on expected height of crops being covered.
All the best
Andy
chuck a load of crushed egg shells around the base, slugs and snails cant walk on it... or I use copper wire all around the base, same result.
Thanks for the Tips, I find the copper works but the egg shells are a bit hit and miss, i did notice when i mulched with some manure that had wood shavings in that were quite sharp kept them off completely so i may use that more often.
All the best
Andy
What kind of netting are you using, mesh size and where can it be purchased?
Its sold on ebay as debris netting/ scaffold netting , i use the 3m wide on most of my beds but the 2m would be ok for most things on a 4ft wide bed but if crops are tall go for the 3m. The mesh stops most bugs but if you want one for carrots use the enviromesh as that is very fine.
All the best
Andy
Does the colour of the net make a difference
I dont think so, some say green reflects light more than other colours but i have used many colours and not found any change in growth.
All the best
Andy
Where did you get your netting and what did it cost thank bill
I get my netting from Ebay and it's called debris netting - prices will vary. I use 3m by 50m. All the best, Andy
What do you to allow the pollinators access and egress?
Depends on what is being protected, I keep out butterflies, slugs and other insects. Using varying sizes of mesh, ie. insect or bird proof mesh will allow some degree of pollination.
A friend of mine is giving up koi carp and she has red over her pond I am going to build one
How did you go on? All the best - Andy
How did you get your loop so big?
I buy it in a coil and cut it in sections a little longer than what ever width net im using, in this case it was the 3m Debris netting which i buy online (Ebay).
www.screwfix.com/p/mdpe-pipe-blue-25mm-x-50m/19606?tc=WA1&ds_kid=92700055281954514&ds_rl=1249404&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlM3jiIm36gIVi7TtCh1sIQ1kEAQYAiABEgL3l_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Maybe I have 2 stupid questions, but how are you to access the bed to tend my plants easily with this method? Did I miss a step?
Hiya, its pretty easy to get in, i just pull the side pegs and one of the end pegs then lift the net up tp the centre top rail. Ive a clip in a video from ladt year showing how i get in them at around the 14minute mark ruclips.net/video/iw2-X7_jp4s/видео.htmlsi=zrUz9Xyjz910x61W
@@andy160676
Ah, wonderful!
I'll check out the video, thank you. 😊
Do you have a video on how you made your Polly tunnel?
pete fudge .im afraid i havent but if you take a look on first tunnels website there are instructional build videos for polytunnels. Hooe this helps.
Cheers.
Andy
OK thanks for replying, I'll take a look.
Can you tell me the type of netting please
Its called debris or scaffold netting
what did you call that netting? and where can I buy some?
The best place is ebay if you search under Debris netting or Scaffold netting.
Cheers
Andy
Hi mate, I have 3m and 2m netting. I was planning to sew the 2m together to get a 4m width, but your 3m hoops look like a good height. Can you tell me the width of your beds?
Hi Mate,the ones in this video are 4ft wide by 8ft in length, with 3 m net its high enough for sprouts and down my allotment there 5ft wide and there still plenty high enough for most things.
All the Best
Andy
@@andy160676 excellent, thanks. My beds are 4ft wide too. I think I'll make them 3m in length as it looks plenty tall. It's going to be for my purple sprouting broccoli
@@JustinMcNeil it should be fine for that
hi andy could you please send me links to the pipes and metal rods you use so i can order the correct size so they both fit together
Hi Tom, its called MDPE pipe and i use the 25mm, if you shop around online you might find it cheaper but heres a link for a 50m roll.
www.screwfix.com/p/mdpe-pipe-blue-25mm-x-50m/19606
@@andy160676 so I need to get 25mm metal rods to fit inside for the plastic pipes?
I just use these, Sekey Garden Stakes 90cm Plant Support Sticks, Plant Stakes Plastic Coated Steel Tube Sturdy Garden Canes for Veagetable and flowers and Tomatoes (Pack 10pcs) amzn.eu/d/4DgOltd
@@andy160676 what is best to use to cut the tubing to the length required?
A hacksaw will do the job fine
Excellent build , awkward to get in to do anything perhaps ?
Its not to bad i simply remove side pegs and lift the sides up and hook it over the ridge cane to keep it there while i weed or harvest.
All the best
Andy
what is the the blue tube called?
MDPE pipe ( 25mm dia )
how will you get in there now
Simply remove the pegs down the sides and one end peg and lift the net up to the to support cane, only takes seconds to get in.
How do you get in and out to plant
Hi Liz, its very easy as i just pull usually one of the end pegs and the side pegs and it lifts up so i reach in and plant seedlings then simple just put the pegs back in.
All the best for 2021 season
Andy
What size conduits
The Blue 25mm water pipe is cut at 3m as the netting used is 3m wide, i also use a 2m set up on some beds.
on all the nets i use short cuts of canes or 21mm overflow pipe or similar tube from 30-60 cm long pushed into the ground and then slide the blue pipe over it.
All the best
Andy
I think this is only for leafy plant. Otherwise how can bees and butterflies come and help in pollination.
Thats true this neeting is to keep as many insects out as possible, if you want the bees to get in just use 10- 15mm netting instead.
All the best
Andy
How do you get in to weed it
Hi Sam, i simply pull a couple of pegs out and lift a side up then drop it back down once ive finished, but i find with being no dig i tend to only need to weed once or twice at most
what is the name of the blue pipe please,
25mm plastic water mains pipe. Medium Density Polyethylene (MDPE) pipe (Alkathene)
How much it will cost please
It depends on the size of the bed its covering, pipe is sold in a 25m coil and netting may be both 25m and 50 m rolls here in the uk
How do you stop cats shiting over your beds? Big problem with mine.
We had a Jackdaw for a while and I purchased several cat scarers that emitted a high frequency noise. Pestbye was the brand. They kept cats away and he could rehabilitate in safety. Otherwise net everything or stick plastic forks or sticks in the spare spaces they like to dig. We actually have more problems with squirrels burying their treasures...
Thanks for the info as it happens I am trying a high frequency cat scarer same brand so fingers crossed.
Can I ask what height it is?
Hi Chris i would say its about 4ft in height.
Cheers
Andy
Cable ties dissentigrate in one season in arizona sun.
Have you tried 3mm coated wire? I take the ties off at the end of the season so they are only in use for a year here too. Thanks for watching. Take care, Andy
Hello Sir wanted to know if you know that there is another RUclips channel called Allotment life that channel has all the gardeners videos wanted to know if you are part of that channel.
Your videos are also in that RUclips channel
I never knew about that Channel
Thank you i never knew about that.
Cheers
Andy
I cant seem to find the channel