How can I build a garden enclosure on a budget?

Question

I need to separate my watermelon seeds from outdoor cats that roam my yard. What could I get for the new plants when they are ready to keep them safe to freely grow?

I could shop at Home Depot or Lowe's if anything knows anything. Something low cost.

OrganicLawnDIY · Answer 1 · 2015-04-27T00:18:06.603

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You can get some welded wire or chicken wire fencing and form it into a hoop house by anchoring the edges into the soil.

You can also make hoops from 1/2" PVC pipe and cover it with either wire or plastic fencing, bird netting etc.

That way the plants are protected from the sides and top.

Although the most budget friendly thing to do is nothing if you're cats aren't digging up the plants. Are they? I've never had an issue with cats digging up melons or any other plants for that matter.

Don't believe everything you see on the internet.

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edited Apr 27 '15 at 00:18

answered Apr 26 '15 at 17:41

OrganicLawnDIY

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I planted sunflower seeds last year and once they popped up to about two inches with the seeds dangling off even, we're eaten up and all died. So now I'm trying again and giving the watermelon seeds some protection. – Daniel Apr 27 '15 at 02:49
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Squirrels are a frequent nemesis of sunflowers. The little critters seem to delight in lopping off plants as much as a meter in height. Of course, once flowering occurs they'll drag off the whole seedhead. – Wayfaring Stranger Apr 27 '15 at 11:04

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 26 '15 at 16:43

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Somewhere between 3 and a great many T posts, and some wire fencing are generally the cheapest approach to separating plants and animals. Aesthetics tend to raise the price if you don't like the look of those. A garden supply or farm supply is more likely to have what you need than home improvement stores, which are often poor on fencing options, though they may have some.

answered Apr 26 '15 at 16:43

Ecnerwal

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Fencing *around* or *over* the seedlings? I have yet to see the fence my cat *won't* climb - if only out of curiosity. Horizontally might work, though. – Stephie Apr 26 '15 at 16:52
Cats (and everything else) vary. Mine have never shown any interest in climbing a 4 ft high wire mesh fence, even though they probably could. I would not bother with a top until it proved needful. – Ecnerwal Apr 26 '15 at 21:05

score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 26 '15 at 23:35

Habitat for Humanity often runs recycling stores where you might find anything! As long as aesthetics are not a priority some of the items I have seen there that could be repurposed include:

marble counter tops for the back of the enclosure
plastic pipe, two inch diameter or larger can be pounded into the ground as posts
chicken wire or metal grid from catwalks

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 27 '15 at 16:54

I saw a mesh tunnel I think I'm going to buy for the first few weeks. It's basically this green fabric/mesh material in a half circle. It looks like a kids playground tunnel but obviously lighter and you just stake it to the ground. It covers the plants but gives them rain and sunlight.

Saw it on Amazon but might make it somehow out of chicken wire and something I can bend to a half circle.

How can I build a garden enclosure on a budget?

4 Answers4