Well done concrete wire cages

[Firefyter-Emt]

hee hee.....

So I am way behind on making twelve of these cages for my tomatos (They have been staked) so tonight I finished them up. I started out using hog rings to clip them togather but did not like how loose they were. Then it dawned on me that the cage was just metal! Well I pulled out my Mig welder and tack welded the cages!

Yep, every one of the cages are now tack welded at each seam and are they strong! I thing these will last a long time like this, and to be honest, they went togather very fast this way too!

 

[Tutter]

Good thinking!

 

[karanleaf]

Way to Go You got it they will last a very very long time.... Welding is good idea..... My father inlaw is still using the ones my husband made for him.. That was before we got married and we will be married 23 yrs Valentines day 09... :weight

 

[bills]

That was before we got married and we will be married 23 yrs Valentines day 09... :weight

That's one way of having a man neither forget valentines day, or your anniversary.....

Firefyter, how about a picture of these cages? I might just do something similar for next year, as I have the wire fencing and the welder.

 

[karanleaf]

Some people say so But 14th has spiecal meaning as his BD is 1-14 mine is 4-14 his brothers is 12-14
and my grandparents were married on Valentine :rose they were married 61 years :bouquet thought we would follow a good example

 

[Firefyter-Emt]

Sure thing... I also found that those green "garden stakes" are perfect to weave thru the cage and hammer into the ground. The are very solid like this and I have maybe two feet into the ground. (Plus, I already had them!)

Next year I "may" extend them up by cutting some in half and welding them to the top of these cages as I feel they are a little short still. (Well, maybe to the bottom, they would look better that way) If I welded another half to the cage, I could cut the "spikes" much longer that push into the ground too.

Here is a photo, pay no mind to the weeds! I have been building a chickeen coop the last month and have not been able to weed this end on top of other garden "duties".

PS, now that I look at it, I believe those holes are 6" square and that put's the cages at three feeet tall. You can see how I have them staked in. I think two on each cage might survive anything!

 

[bills]

Thanks for the photo!

Those are very heavy duty looking, and should support the plants very well. My wire fencing is not quite as heavy gauge as that, but should do the trick. I'm not the most experienced welder, so I may end up with burn through on the lighter gauge wire. Maybe I could simply form a cylinder, and then zap strap the ends togeather..now there is a thought....

I can see your point about making them higher. I have some plants that are 6' tall. The commercial cages just don't cut it, so I have had to support them with twine, from overhead rafters. I am tempted to cut the growing tips, as my rafters are only so high, and at this rate the plants will lift the roof, before they quit growing..

 

[Firefyter-Emt]

I started out using "hog rings" that can be bought at the Tractor Supply or other farm stores to hold the cages togather. That would be the quickest way to make them. I would be leary about the zip ties, that is a thick cage to realy on plastic ties alone.