How to Build an Inexpensive Blueberry Bush Cover

Jen Osterhout
by Jen Osterhout
4 Materials
$50
2 Hours
Easy

Our blueberry bush is growing like crazy this year. It has the potential of a great harvest - I'm already dreaming of homemade blueberry muffins and pies. But that's if I can get to it before the birds and squirrels! Time to create a cover and stop those critters from getting to the birds before I do!


This blueberry bush cover DIY project is fairly easy and requires just a handful of supplies.

Measure Bush and Gather Supplies

First, measure your bush to determine the length of PVC pipe. (You can also use wood for a frame). Measure the bush and then add at least another foot in all directions to leave room for growth throughout the summer. Our blueberry bush was about 4ft in all directions, so we built a 5ft PVC cage.


Supplies are easy - PVC pipe, bird or deer netting, scissors, plastic (or fabric) ties and garden staples. Bees are crucial to producing blueberry fruits. Without them around pollinating your blueberry bush, you’ll won’t see many berries. So make sure you purchase netting wide enough to let these helpers through. For more details on the netting size, click the link to the extended version of this tutorial at the end of this post.

Cut and Assemble Cage

Cut the PVC pipe to desired measurements and assemble. Set over the blueberry bush and secure the PVC into the ground with garden staples (or rocks).

Cover with Netting

Starting from the bottom of one side, unroll the netting and drape it up and over one the PVC frame down to the ground on the other side. In other words, you are covering two sides and the top of the cage.


Secure the netting along the top and sides of the frame at intervals with plastic or fabric ties. If using plastic ties, leave a little room so that when dismantling the cage at the end of the season you can cut the ties without cutting a hold in the netting.  

Wait for Blueberries to Ripen!

Here's the finished product. Truthfully, it's not the most attractive frame. But it was inexpensive, easy to build, and will easily break apart and store in the garage into next season.


For a more detailed tutorial, check out How to Build a Simple Blueberry Bush Cage.


If you are looking for tips on how to grow blueberries, check out this helpful guide!

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3 of 44 comments
  • Greg Dwyer Greg Dwyer on Jul 01, 2023

    That will cost you $100 of plumbing parts at Home Depot. Good luck

    • Laurie Landry Laurie Landry on Jul 05, 2023

      you can reuse them season after season. We are done something similar and it well pays for itself with my increased harvest.

  • Darlene Darlene on Jul 02, 2023

    Those critters and birds are smart and will soon realize that 2 sides are still open so I would also cover the other 2 sides.

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