What Factors Should GrapeGrower Consider Before Buying Bird Netting?

When it comes to effective bird control, plastic bird netting is a humane, low-profile pest bird deterrent. It’s designed to physically exclude birds from damaging your grape crop.Netting comes in many widths, lengths and types of construction.The first decision a grower must make is the kinds of birds that are likely to be a problem.

The size of the holes in the netting will not be as much of an issue if the birds landing in a vineyard are large, such as crows. However, if the birds are small, the size of the holes could be a significant factor. Size and shape of the holes can affect the net’s strength and also which birds are kept away from the grapes. Square holes have one stitch at each corner; hexagonal holes have three stitches per side. Some nets have a triangular hole and can have much smaller hole sizes. Knitted nets are usually not recommended, because they can unravel when cut or snagged.

There are other issues to consider, the types of netting .There are three main types .

Over the Row Netting: The traditional netting drapes over a row of vines or multiple rows, depending on the width of the netting.Most of the netting are made of extruded black plastic or woven mesh. It’s difficult to apply, and even worse to remove at the end of a season,because the leaves, tendrils and vines work their way into the mesh.

Side Netting: Nets that cover only the fruiting zone part of the vine have been very popular in Australia and New Zealand.These nets have the advantage of not being as wide or cumbersome to apply, and they’re not quite as expensive as the netting required to cover the entire row. Some side netting can be rolled up on a wire and left year-round in the vineyard. it is important to fasten the netting both above and underneath the fruiting zone—otherwise the birds will figure out how to get into the grapes in spite of the net.

Overhead Netting: It’s a new way to protect a vineyard. The system fully encloses your crop by mounting the nets above the canopy with wires running through the edge meshes, which are simply drawn out along the field to spread or retrieve. When the nets are spread the wires are simply clipped together to make an uninterrupted canopy cover. The nets are stored on the wires at the end of the field when not in use.