Build your own garden cover and keep pests away from your veggies. All you’ll need is PVC pipe and netting to construct this lightweight, DIY friendly project!
Why build garden covers?
- The structure creates a barrier to prevent pests from reaching your precious fruits and vegetables
- The PVC pipe frame is lightweight and easy to move around beds
- Easily create an entrance by cutting the netting in the front to better access your plants
- 3, 4 and 5 way EzyFit joints offer flexibility in frame construction to fit awkward garden spaces
Common garden pests
Photo by Yiju Cheng on Unsplash
Cabbage moths/butterflies:
These moths and butterflies are attracted to the entire brassica family and many other leafy greens. If given a chance, they’ll lay eggs on your plants, and you’ll compete with hungry caterpillars in no time.
Photo by Vlad Kutepov on Unsplash
Birds:
Strawberries are a favourite. Birds peck holes into the fruit and leave them vulnerable to decay.
Photo by horror by numbers on Unsplash
Aphids:
Rapidly reproducing bugs that wreak havoc in a garden. Aphids are sap suckers that feed on stems, buds and leaves. You will need fine insect netting to discourage these pests in your garden beds.
Build your own garden cover and keep pests away from your veggies. All you’ll need is PVC pipe and netting to construct this lightweight, DIY friendly project!
Why build garden covers?
- The structure creates a barrier to prevent pests from reaching your precious fruits and vegetables
- The PVC pipe frame is lightweight and easy to move around beds
- Easily create an entrance by cutting the netting in the front to better access your plants
- 3, 4 and 5 way EzyFit joints offer flexibility in frame construction to fit awkward garden spaces
Common garden pests
Photo by Yiju Cheng on Unsplash
Cabbage moths/butterflies:
These moths and butterflies are attracted to the entire brassica family and many other leafy greens. If given a chance, they’ll lay eggs on your plants, and you’ll compete with hungry caterpillars in no time.
Photo by Vlad Kutepov on Unsplash
Birds:
Strawberries are a favourite. Birds peck holes into the fruit and leave them vulnerable to decay.
Photo by horror by numbers on Unsplash
Aphids:
Rapidly reproducing bugs that wreak havoc in a garden. Aphids are sap suckers that feed on stems, buds and leaves. You will need fine insect netting to discourage these pests in your garden beds.
Planning
Design a plan for the frame layout to ensure you get the right products for the job.
- Measure dimensions to draw up a plan
- Consider the fineness of netting you will need to protect your plants from hungry critters
- Create a list of necessary materials
For this project, we are creating a frame for a 2m × 1m × 1m garden bed.
What you need to get started:
Making a garden cover is simple and easy to set up. We have made a guide for a 2m × 1m × 1m frame using ⌀15mm × 1m length PVC pipe and EzyFit fittings. No tools are required for this DIY project as everything snaps into place.
Download our full shopping list below to get started!
Materials:
- 19 × 15mm PVC pipe – 1m length
- 14 × 15mm EZYFIT snap clamps
- 10 × 15mm EZYFIT 3 way joints
- 2 × 15mm EZYFIT 4 way joints
- 4 × 4m garden netting or shade cloth
What you need to get started:
Making a garden cover is simple and easy to set up. We have made a guide for a 2m × 1m × 1m frame using ⌀15mm × 1m length PVC pipe and EzyFit fittings. No tools are required for this DIY project as everything snaps into place.
Download our full shopping list below to get started!
Materials:
- 19 × 15mm PVC pipe – 1m length
- 14 × 15mm EZYFIT snap clamps
- 10 × 15mm EZYFIT 3 way joints
- 2 × 15mm EZYFIT 4 way joints
- 4 × 4m garden netting or shade cloth
STEP 1
ASSEMBLE BASE
- Place six 1m lengths of PVC pipe into a two by one rectangle to form a base
- Place one 1m length in middle, this will support the structure
- Connect all 1m pipes together using four 3 way joiners, empty joint facing up
- Repeat these steps to create the roof of the garden cover, this time, connect middle support to frame using two 4 way joiners, empty joints facing down
STEP 2
CONNECT WALLS AND ROOF
- Attach six 1m lengths of pipe into the EzyFit fittings of the frame base
- Pick up the top of the frame, empty joint facing down
- Connect to the frame walls
- Your frame is ready!
STEP 3
ATTACH GARDEN NETTING
- Pull 4×4m netting tight over frame
- Secure netting by snapping EzyFit Clamps over net and frame base
That’s it!
Investing a little time and effort into building your own DIY garden cover using PVC pipe and netting can yield tremendous rewards for your vegetable garden. By keeping pesky pests at bay, you’ll ensure the health and abundance of your crops. Grab your materials, follow our step-by-step guide and keep your homegrown produce free from unwanted intruders!
DIY garden cover video tutorial
Check out this quick tutorial on building a cover for your plants with our range of EzyFit fittings. These structural PVC fittings are designed to make DIY jobs easier and more creative.
