Garden DIY: Step-by-Step Guide to Making a Chicken Wire Cloche

Garden cloches are can be very helpful for protecting plants from unwanted pests, however they can also get pricey, especially if you have a large garden. In this post, I’m going to show you how to craft your own chicken wire cloche using a flower pot as a template.

I made a few of these in an afternoon and they are not only protecting our strawberries from the raccoons, but they have added a creative touch to the garden that I find simply charming. Let’s get started.

Why Use a Chicken Wire Garden Cloche?

Before we jump into the tutorial let me give you four reasons why this option for protecting your plants in a great way to go.

Protects the Plants: Chicken wire provides a protective barrier against pests like birds, rabbits, raccoons, and possums, making sure your plants remain untouched (or in my case, uneaten).
You can Customize the Size and Shape: By using a flower pot as a template, you can easily customize the size and shape of your cloche to suit different plants and garden layouts.
Its Affordable: Using materials such as chicken wire and a flower pot keeps the cost low, making it a budget-friendly option for home gardeners.
It will Last: A well-made chicken wire cloche can last for multiple seasons with very little maintenance, giving you long-term protection to your plants.

What Plants Could Benefit from a Chicken Wire Garden Cloche?

There are many plants that could benefit from the protection of a cloche. These plants include seedlings that you don’t want trampled on, or early fruit that you don’t want nibbled on. Here are a few plant suggestions:

Early Seedlings: A cloche would protect early seedlings from getting trampled on so they can grow into strong healthy plants.
Strawberries: Everyone loves strawberries, including wild life. Using a cloche would keep the critters out long enough for you to get a harvest of berries you can enjoy!
Herbs: Thyme, oregano, sage, rosemary, and lavender would all benefit from a cloche in their early stages of growth.
Lettuce: Lettuce is another crop that typically gets nibbled on. A wire cloche can keep the critters at bay.
Blueberries: Covering blueberry bushes, while they are young, can help to keep the birds from eating all of your crop.

Now, let’s get into the step-by-step instructions to creating your own chicken wire cloche for the garden.

Chicken Wire Garden Cloche Step-by-Step Instructions:

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1. Gather Your Materials:

Before starting, here are the necessary materials you will need: (Affiliate Links)

1″ Chicken wire mesh
Flower pot (with a diameter matching the desired size and shape of your cloche)
Wire cutters or Tin Snips
Gloves (for safety)
Long Nose Pliers
Decorative knobs
Medium gauge wire OR garden pins (optional)

2. Use the Flower Pot as a Template:

Lay the chicken wire on a flat surface and use your flower pot as a template. (I rolled the wire around the pot to get the approximate size of wire that I needed.)

3. Cut the Chicken Wire:

Using wire cutters, carefully cut the wire according to the size of the flower pot template. Ensure you leave some extra wire for overlapping and securing the edges.

4. Shape the Chicken Wire:

Position the pre-cut chicken wire over the flower pot template. Gently mold the wire around the pot to form the desired shape. Pull tightly and secure as you go by twisting and bending the wire around itself. Make sure you leave the bottom open to remove the flower pot once the shaping is complete.

5. Secure the Edges:

Pull the flower pot out and use pliers to twist and secure the overlapping edges of the chicken wire mesh to ensure that the structure holds its shape. Make any necessary adjustments, and trim or tuck any pieces of wire that are sticking out. (Note: the shaping, twisting, and bending, takes a little bit of time and patience, but if you stick to it, you will soon get the desired look.)

6. Add the Knob Handle to the top:

Add your decorative knob to the center-top of the cloche. I used old dresser drawer knobs that I found around the house, but any knob should work. Then, I also found that using a couple flat washers ensured that the knob screw did not slip through the wire.

7. Place the Finished Chicken Wire Cloche Over Your Plants:

Lastly, carefully place the chicken wire cloche over your plants. To ensure that it stays in place, you can use a couple garden pins, or some medium gauge wire to pin them in place, so they are not blown over in the wind.

Crafting a chicken wire garden cloche was a fun and practical DIY project that added beauty and functionality of my garden. By following these steps, I hope you feel inspired to create a one of these accessories for your plants as well.