I used black, plastic irrigation pipe (about 20mm diameter). Grey water pipe works better as it’s stiffer – the hoops bend less when you stretch the mesh over them.

I pushed lengths of steel reinforcing bar into the ground and slotted the tube over the top at each end. You could use short (600mm) bamboo canes but they would probably only last a year before they rotted.

Windbreaks (http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2008/08/do-things-at-the-wrong-time/windbreaks/) with bird-mesh over the top work better than the hoops. They’re quicker to remove and replace when you’re picking and weeding. They are also much more likely to stay ‘bird-tight’.

The holes in the bird mesh are large enough for honey and bumble bees to get through.