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.
[IMG]http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i122/sanderken/SAM_1796.jpg?t=1393706388[/IMG]

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

[QUOTE=Durgan;395257]Peppers do fine with a stake to support the main stem with possibly a few stings. They really don't cage very well.[/QUOTE]


Giant [SIZE=5]Texas Sized[/SIZE] Peppers do.:P

Worth

[QUOTE=Worth1;395263]Giant [SIZE=5]Texas Sized[/SIZE] Peppers do.:P

Worth[/QUOTE]

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.

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

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.

[QUOTE=Hermitian;395273]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.[/QUOTE]

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

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.

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

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

[URL]http://www.durgan.org/URL/?QKUOF[/URL] 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.

[QUOTE=Itoero;395292]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.[/QUOTE]

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

That's ok, I like rude people:D

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.

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

[QUOTE=Itoero;395299]That's ok, I like rude people:D

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.[/QUOTE]

2.5 mm should be fine.:)
You might consider making them 45 centimeters or 18 inches in diameter.

Worth

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