Modern agriculture has now shifted to use of sustainable farming solutions to improve crop production while also lowering the cost. Crop Protection Nets are the reliable and cost-effective ways to enhance optimal growing conditions. In addition to climate regulation, these agricultural nets also deter pest, rodents and birds from crops to ensure maximum and quality yield.

How Crop Protection Nets Optimize Production

Agricultural crop protection nets are designed to directly control sunlight, humidity, and atmospheric temperature. Because of their breathable mesh design, agricultural nets allow air, sunlight and moisture to pass through thus it is easier to balance the conditions.

Types of Crop Protection Nets

Crop protection nets include shade nets, bird nets and insect nets.

Shade Nets

Shade nets are for sunlight control or reduction. Our Shade Nets are made from High Density Polyethylene Compound and are highly durable. Often lasts for at least 3 years if protective maintenance is done.

Why Shade Nets

Shade nets are meant for crop protection from extremely hot temperatures, especially regions that experience hot sunlight or drought. Growing crops, especially vegetables and flowers under shade nets prevent drying or wilting since evaporation rates are low. Water use also becomes minimized as atmospheric losses drop.

Categories or Shade Net Types

Agricultural Shade Nets come in different types which categorically represent the sunlight filtration rates. The shade net types available include 35 %, 55 %, 75% and 90% shade Nets.

Recommended Crop Use for Shade Nets

• 35% Shade Net – provides ideal conditions for cultivation of tomato, capsicum, strawberries and peas.
• 55% Shade Net – Vegetables such as kales, spinach, lettuce, Kunde,
• 75% Shade Net – vegetable, tree and fruit seedlings
• 90% Shade Net – ferns, mushrooms, flowers such bougainvillea and roses.

Uses of Shade Nets

Shade nets are applicable in agricultural crop protections in many ways as explained below.

1. Crop protection from harsh conditions – as explained, nets create a safe micro-climate for crops, preventing effects of harsh sunlight or heavy rains.
2. Seedling production – Seedlings are delicate and grown in shade conditions to enhance optimal growing environment. Vegetable, tree, and fruit seedlings are ideal to start in shade net structures.
3. Vegetable cultivation – vegetables are also planted under shade nets. Common vegetables such as tomato, kales, cabbage and spinach are done in shade houses.
4. Horticulture production – flower varieties are grown under shade nets because of low sunlight requirement.

Insect Nets

Insect nets are for preventing crops from damage caused by whiteflies, aphids, stalk borers, caterpillars and weevils.  The need to use insect nets is to lower the damage on crop harvest and ensure quality yield as well by preventing insect-related infections.

Like shade nets, insect net is designed with knitted surface with mesh air holes thus enhances air and moisture entry. These breathable nets will neither interfere with sunlight access, nor affect the growing conditions.

Our Insect nets are available in green or black color with sizes of 3 by 50 m and 3.5 by 50m.

Insect Net Specification and Uses

Designed from UV treated polyethylene material. The UV treated polyethylene makes the net strong and durable.

Insect nets are used in:

Greenhouse insect protection – installed on greenhouse ventilation especially side vents to allow air entry and keep insects out.

Solar dryer – used in solar dryers for making shelves that hold the drying product. Its breathable nature allows for aeration.

Ceilings – to shield wasps and bees from damaging ceilings.

Poultry farms – can be ideal for poultry farming.

Bird Nets

Bird nets as the name suggests are used to keep predator birds from accessing fruit, vegetables or crop gardens. Birds feed on cereals, apples, berries, and young plants thus resulting in low or poor quality of harvest. With bird nets, even small bird species cannot penetrate and thus your plant generates high yield.

Why bird Nets are Best Bird Barriers

The use of bird netting contributes to safe handling of birds by blocking them from farms without harming them. Some methods such as chemical or scarecrows may be less effective and at the same time may harm the birds.

How are Bird Nets used?

1. Garden or field crop fencing – used as physical barrier that keeps bird species away from the crop field.
2. Fruit garden protection – used to cover apple and mango trees to prevent birds.
3. Backyard fencing – you can also fence your compound or backyard to protect poultry from vultures and eagles.
4. Fishponds – predator birds are easily barred from fishponds using bird nets.
5. Building protection – In urban areas, bird nets are used to prevent birds from nesting and roosting on buildings, which can cause structural damage and sanitation issues.

Benefits of Crop Protection Nets

Improves crop quality – because shade nets provide optimal growing conditions, you surely harvest quality and high yield.

Year-Round Production – the technology of growing crops under shade nets enhances continuous cultivation even during dry or winter seasons.

Low Pest and diseases – the use of insect nets protect the crops from variety of crop destructive insects such as aphids and whiteflies.

High Yield and Safe Crop Harvest – crop protection nets such as bird nets and insect nets protect flowering crops from predator birds and insects. Therefore, fruits and cereals produce high yield with no rots or infections.

Low cost of Production – use of crop protection nets lowers the overall cost of production as it cuts down the use of pesticides, weeding, fertilizers and water use.

How to Choose the Right Crop Protection Net

When planning on which crop protection net, first look at the problem you want to solve. What challenge do you have with your crops. Is it birds, insects or unfavourable climate?  Now consider the type of crop you are growing. Different crops have different shade net requirement. On the same note, bird nets are only suitable for crops that often get damaged by birds.

The last thing you should also factor in is the cost of specific crop protection nets you need and the budget. Always consider quality nets to ensure higher durability and cost-effective production.

 Buy Crop Protection Nets from Aqua Hub LTD

Are you in need of quality crop protection nets or sustainable growing solutions? Aqua Hub LTD is East Africa’s best Agricultural Net Supplier.

Call 0790719020