Bulb Cages

Hi,
Does anyone have any plans or details for building bulb cages?
We have such a problem with moles, squirrels, deer and just about any other critter that you might think of.... digging up our tulips and other fall planted bulbs.

I can put rabbit wire on top of the planted area but since I plant my tulips here there and everywhere would like some of the cages you actually plant the bulbs in...but they are so dang expensive.

They can't be that hard to make and I'm sure I could do it but just need some ideas on the best way to do this.

Jane, I don't imagine that it would be much different than making the hardware cloth pots for Hosta. Use Hardware cloth, not chicken wire as it is sturdier, but more important it comes in quarter inch holes. Voles can get through larger holes.

I would roll it into cylinders. Use wire to sew the two ends together. Cut pieces to fit over the two ends. Sew those onto the ends with more wire.

Stormy,
Sounds just like what I had in mind. Do you know if most Lowe's stores would carry hardware cloth and if you need to buy it in a large roll or how it's sold?

Jane, Yes, Lowes sells it in rolls. There are different sized rolls. They are usually sold in height of 24" by varying lengths. If you bought a 25' roll, you would possibly get 40 cages. Cost with wire would probably be about $30

am still looking for that elusive hardware wire . . . .

50glee, At HD it's not in the garden center. It's over with the fencing supplies. Hardware cloth.

Stormy,
You have been so helpful.
$30 is very reasonable indeed especially when you consider how much most of us spend on our fall bulbs.

50glee...Great minds must surely run in the same direction...I spent forever trying to look-up what hardware wire actually was and looked like...before I realize stormy had said hardware cloth not wire.

Jane, It's not the cost that's expensive, it's the wear and tear on the hands from making all of those cages. You will cut your hands a bit before you find the best way to work with the cloth. Be careful. Wear thick gloves will cutting the cloth.

stormy...if you could only see my hands sometimes!
I am a avid rock hound. The mixture of dirt, rocks and sand do not make for pretty and most difinately not soft hands.
I have actually started wearing plastic gloves like doctors wear...I can't do anything with thick gloves on but at least the plastic gloves help. I have some kevlar gloves I can wear while working with the wire.

I made a bunch of wire cylinders of varying diameters to put over my roses in the winter, using that same hardware cloth. A little tip: connect the ends with plastic tie wraps - it's much easier on the fingers.

Rose, Did you put the cylinders around the roots or the lower branches?

I make the cylinders big enough to encircle the entire plant for younger smaller roses - about 1.5 ft high (half the height of the wire mesh roll). Then I fill the cylinders with bark mulch after the ground is hard frozen. I don't put a top on it, but the mesh has kept the deer from munching on the canes, and the mulch insulates the plant from cold and wind, especially since we don't get sufficient snow cover. You'd need a top to keep chippee out, though. ;)

Rose, That's what I do with my Hosta and Azaleas/Rhodos. So far I hasven't seen them bother Roses. I just planted 8 today and Didn't think to cage them. How far apart do you place the plastic tie wraps? I considered doing that but thought they might be able to get in.

I generally use 2 plastic tie wraps per cylinder. And sometimes I have to stake the cylinders so that they don't blow away. I hadn't had probs with my azaleas or rhodies until last winter, when the deer dined on the smaller ones. I'm now spraying those plants with Bobex in hopes that it will deter them. The only problem is that rain washes it off. I've heard that there is a feed-through form of Bobex, but I haven't found it yet.

Rose, I have the names of two products that don't wash off. Let me search for them.

I use hardware cloth to line my planting holes and raised beds for some bulbs and also plants where the gophers will eat the roots. Note: I don't put tops on them because the holes in the cloth are so small (1/4 in or 1/2 in ) that some fat sprouts (especially hyacinths and tulips) can't get through the holes without damaging the leaves and buds. I have found a sturdy pair of tin snips(for cutting sheets of metal) are the best tools for cutting hardware cloth.

I also have a set of heavy duty bulb cages with 1 in holes from Gardener's Supply Co catalog that have been in the ground for over 5 years, but my first season with them I had to dig down and remove the tops when the hyacinth sprouts were too fat to get through the 1 in square holes in the top. I suggest laying chicken wire with larger holes on the top of the cages.

Just wanted to thank everyone that helped me out with this. You guys are the greatest and have helped me out tremendously!

Here's a pic of just a few of the cages I made. I fixed several up in different sizes to suit where I intend on planting my fall bulbs.


Jane

Nice job, Jane! Those look like they'll deter those bulb-eating critters!

Nice cages Jane. Be sure that you are using small holed wire cloth. The east coast voles are much smaller than the west coast ones.

I plant most of my bulbs in chicken grit or Permatil and save the cages for the perennials and shrubs

I had to smile when I saw the title of this one. I am new to bulbs and the mental image that first came to mind was of rounding up those illusive wild bulbs in cages so that they did not escape.

dithchlily,
All those wild bloomers can spread to their hearts content. The little wildflowers, ditchlilies, easter flowers, ect... are all welcome here!
This is gods land...I'm just calling it my home as I pass thru to a even bigger flower garden.
We have a few acres of land here in the country... they can plant their pretty little feet anytime. Just none of those itsy bitsy daisy looking 3' bush like plants...they try to smother everything else.

Jane

:-)

My first daylilies were real ditchlilies that I dug up from the side of the road. I still have some in my front yard by the mailbox.

Any one of you have any pics of your bulb cages you have made? How about a tuitorial on this project for us? Would be very helpful.

I found some in White Flower Farm Catalog but they $22.95 each. Ouch! Thought about ordering one to use as a pattern to get an idea how it is held together. Do you know of any other mail order catalog that sells them?

Gardener's Supply website shows that they are no longer selling bulb cages but will send you directions for making your own. I liked their cages better than the ones I saw in the White Flower Farm catalog. They look sturdiier from the picture shown.

Rainyjane..your bulb cages look very similar to the ones that White farm flowers or whatever it is called. If you can make them that good...why buy them? Great job..pat yourself on the back..

Stormyla..can you explain a little more about your planting your bulbs in chicken grit or permatil?

Pippi21...thanks for the kind words.
The cages worked just wonderful...I'm happy to say that Mr. Mole, Mr. Vole & that rascally old squirrel...were fresh out of luck this year...and now that the tulips have bloomed, all I have to do... is lift the little cages out of the ground...shake the dirt off and store them until fall and then just replant.

jane