pepper cage

Itoero · March 3, 2014

I'm making pepper cages out of wire fence.
For diameter I take 1ft 2in.
The wire is maybe 1mm thick.

Will this be ok for big sweet peppers?
Are the wires to thin/sharp?
The holes I cut in the mesh are 5 to 8 in
Is it a good idea to make the diameter small so the plant will grow out the cage? Then the branches are supported close to the main stem.

Durgan · March 3, 2014

Peppers do fine with a stake to support the main stem with possibly a few stings. They really don't cage very well.

Worth1 · March 3, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Durgan

Peppers do fine with a stake to support the main stem with possibly a few stings. They really don't cage very well.

Giant Texas Sized Peppers do.

Worth

Hermitian · March 3, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

Giant Texas Sized Peppers do.

Worth

If peppers (and tomatoes) are fertilized with N-to-K in a 1-to-1.5 ratio and provided sufficient quantity over the growth season, then cages or staking is only needed for wind protection.

kath · March 3, 2014

I've taken to caging my peppers instead of staking because I used to lose branches due to the weight of the fruits. That said, my only experience is with using the cheapie tomato cages sold in the stores that are too wimpy for tomatoes. Not sure what you mean by big sweet peppers- big fruit, big plant or both- but I wouldn't make the diameter much bigger than 1'. If it's too large, the plant won't be supported very well until it's pretty tall- the sooner the branches grow outside the wire, the better.

We were 'gifted' with someone's leftover fencing that's like yours. The wire is easy to cut but I left stubs when cutting that could be folded away from the openings because it is a bit sharp. The cages aren't the sturdiest things either, so it's necessary to use a stake as tall as the cage for support. I'll use them for tomatoes in a pinch because I have enough of the others for peppers, but they're my least favorite cages because they're too flimsy for tomato plants.

kath

PaulF · March 3, 2014

I have used the three foot tall pre-made cages meant for tomatoes (even too wimpy for dwarf plants) for peppers. For me they work perfectly for both sweet and warmer peppers.

Worth1 · March 3, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hermitian

If peppers (and tomatoes) are fertilized with N-to-K in a 1-to-1.5 ratio and provided sufficient quantity over the growth season, then cages or staking is only needed for wind protection.

Our peppers get pretty big here in the south with the long growing season.

They get bark on them and grow more like trees.
I have never seen one that really (((realistically))) needed a cage even at 4 or 5 feet.

Worth

Itoero · March 3, 2014

I'm growing mostly big sweet peppers this season.
And I have a roll of wire fence in the garden.
I might as wel use it to make pepper cages....most of my peppers needed support last season.

But will the cages I'm making work?
I'm concerned about the diameter and thickness of the wire.

Durgan · March 3, 2014

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?QROHZ 6 August 2011 Green Pepper Harvest.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?EVAHQ 23 September 2012 Peppers

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?QKUOF 17 September 2013 Four Vegetable Juice

I only grow five to eight plants and only use a stake for support, and often tie a branch with a string to the pole. Cages tend to cram the fruit in some cases.

Worth1 · March 3, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Itoero

I'm growing mostly big sweet peppers this season.
And I have a roll of wire fence in the garden.
I might as wel use it to make pepper cages....most of my peppers needed support last season.

But will the cages I'm making work?
I'm concerned about the diameter and thickness of the wire.

How very rude of us not to answer your question.

With a post supporting the cage they should be fine.
Are you sure the wire is only 1mm thick?

Worth

Itoero · March 3, 2014

That's ok, I like rude people

I was wrong, it's 2 mm thick, I just checked.
It's metal, coated with green plastic.

edit: It takes a lot of effort to make one, so I wnat to do it correct.

Doug9345 · March 3, 2014

Wire that is 2mm thick should be strong and stiff enough.

Worth1 · March 3, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Itoero

That's ok, I like rude people

I was wrong, it's 2 mm thick, I just checked.
It's metal, coated with green plastic.

edit: It takes a lot of effort to make one, so I wnat to do it correct.

2.5 mm should be fine.

You might consider making them 45 centimeters or 18 inches in diameter.

Worth

Itoero · March 7, 2014

I want to keep the diameter small(15 inches), so the branches grow through the wires.
Is that a good idea?

March 3, 2014	#1
Itoero Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Belgium Posts: 186	pepper cage I'm making pepper cages out of wire fence. For diameter I take 1ft 2in. The wire is maybe 1mm thick. Will this be ok for big sweet peppers? Are the wires to thin/sharp? The holes I cut in the mesh are 5 to 8 in Is it a good idea to make the diameter small so the plant will grow out the cage? Then the branches are supported close to the main stem. Last edited by Itoero; March 3, 2014 at 06:39 AM.

March 3, 2014	#6
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,294	I have used the three foot tall pre-made cages meant for tomatoes (even too wimpy for dwarf plants) for peppers. For me they work perfectly for both sweet and warmer peppers. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

March 3, 2014	#11
Itoero Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Belgium Posts: 186	That's ok, I like rude people I was wrong, it's 2 mm thick, I just checked. It's metal, coated with green plastic. edit: It takes a lot of effort to make one, so I wnat to do it correct. Last edited by Itoero; March 3, 2014 at 09:41 AM.

March 3, 2014	#2
Durgan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Brantford, ON, Canada Posts: 1,341	Peppers do fine with a stake to support the main stem with possibly a few stings. They really don't cage very well.

March 3, 2014	#5
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	I've taken to caging my peppers instead of staking because I used to lose branches due to the weight of the fruits. That said, my only experience is with using the cheapie tomato cages sold in the stores that are too wimpy for tomatoes. Not sure what you mean by big sweet peppers- big fruit, big plant or both- but I wouldn't make the diameter much bigger than 1'. If it's too large, the plant won't be supported very well until it's pretty tall- the sooner the branches grow outside the wire, the better. We were 'gifted' with someone's leftover fencing that's like yours. The wire is easy to cut but I left stubs when cutting that could be folded away from the openings because it is a bit sharp. The cages aren't the sturdiest things either, so it's necessary to use a stake as tall as the cage for support. I'll use them for tomatoes in a pinch because I have enough of the others for peppers, but they're my least favorite cages because they're too flimsy for tomato plants. kath

March 3, 2014	#12
Doug9345 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Durhamville,NY Posts: 2,706	Wire that is 2mm thick should be strong and stiff enough.

March 7, 2014	#14
Itoero Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Belgium Posts: 186	I want to keep the diameter small(15 inches), so the branches grow through the wires. Is that a good idea?