Device to support flexible netting used to protect plants from damage by animals and adverse environmental conditions

Means for protecting a growing plant from damage by browsing animals and rodents which comprises:

• a wicket having two legs adapted to be inserted into the ground on opposite sides of the plant to be protected and having a cross bar connecting said two legs, each of said legs consisting of a straight vertical portion with a free and adapted to be inserted vertically into the ground and an inclined portion extending between said cross piece and said vertical portion and formed by bending the legs between their free end and the cross piece, said legs being spaced a sufficient distance from one another to define, with said crosspiece a growth space which permits unimpeded growth of the plant;
• a tube of flexible plastic netting pulled down around said wicket and having its lower end at the level of the ground and extending upwardly a sufficient height above the bent portion of said wicket to afford protection to the leader of said growing plant whereby the growing plant is protected by the lower end of said netting from damage by rodents and from damage by browsing animals by the upwardly extending netting;
• said wicket serving to maintain said net with a tubular shape to permit said leader to grow freely.