Introduction
Every year, billions of dollars of grapes and other crops are lost to birds. Large numbers of birds and other pest animal species can pose significant threats to your vineyard’s economy and your ability to produce wine or generate income from tourists. Providing effective bird control can save you money and maintain the production level of your vineyard.
Several birds eat grapes, including robins, starlings, mockingbirds, finches, and blackbirds.
One of the most popular bird control methods for vineyards is bird netting. Bird netting comes in a wide variety of styles and can protect grapevines from birds that pose a threat to fruit production.
This article discusses three types of vineyard bird netting that can target these pests.
3 common Types of Bird Netting
Materials for Bird Netting
Bird nets are the most common vineyard bird repellent available. They hang vertically, like curtains between vines, and they’re made of recycled polyethylene. The bird-proof nets have a lightweight aluminum frame with a tension cable to ensure the netting stays taut between the supports. Bird nets are effective for keeping out birds that like to perch on the outer edge of the net but do not usually fly through it.
The most common material used for bird protection nets is high-density polyethylene (HDPE). This type of netting is effective, affordable, and durable.
Extrusion
Black polypropylene is the predominant polymer used in the manufacture of extruded netting. It is lightweight and UV-resistant.
Depending on the type of birds that visit, it can be installed under, around, or over your vineyard. If your birds are smaller, add mesh under the netting.
Knitted
knitted netting ( knotless netting) is made from a high-density polyethylene monofilament, which makes it great for heavy-duty uses. It’s very strong, so it will last for years without needing replacement or repair. It’s stronger and more durable than extruded netting.
Knotted
Knotted netting is also made up of a monofilament high-density polyethylene, just like knitted netting. As the twine is knotted during manufacturing, this net is stronger and more durable than other nets. There’s a knotted breaking strength of more than 50 pounds for each strand. Commercial vineyards can benefit from this method because it is so effective.
Which Type is Better?
Extruded Netting
Extrusion mesh is formed by extruding PE through an extruder through a specific mesh die. Usually, the mesh presents a rhombus or a quadrilateral.
Pros: It is light, cheap, and low-cost to use
Cons: Because there is no secondary drafting, the tensile strength is usually low and cannot withstand a large tensile force. Once the force is applied, it is easy to break.
If it is used for bird protection purposes, it is basically for one-time use and long-term use.
Therefore, the extrusion net is more used as a protective net for food packaging, or the packaging of some special commodities, such as the outer packaging of red wine and the outer packaging of special metal parts.
Knotted Netting
A knotted net involves twisting the yarn into a rope and then tying the rope through specific equipment to form a mesh.
Pros and Cons: The net cloth formed in this way has a lower output, but the advantage is that it has higher strength and can withstand a larger impact force because each mesh is formed by knotting and is independent of the other.
Even if the individual mesh is broken, the broken mesh will not affect the periphery; instead, the hole will expand.
Usually used as a protective fence for sports such as ball games. Or large trawls that go out to sea on a fishery.
Knitted Netting
Netting is a fabric woven by PE monofilaments through the Raschel Machine.
Pros: Therefore, the gram weight is light, the endurance is large, the durability is durable, and the output is high and the cost is economical.
Cons: Because it is a monofilament structure Rashcel weaving, there is a crack that easily leads to disconnection at the peripheral position. Widely used in agricultural protection.
The advantage of the non-knot net is more obvious compared with the extrusion net and knot net. It is low-cost but has high spacing and durability. At the same time, the production output is large, which can meet the large-scale centralized supply with agricultural protection.
Therefore, Knitted Netting is the best material type for agricultural bird protection nets.
Knitted Netting is the most versatile and cost-effective netting for agricultural bird control. It features a variety of different threading methods that allow for a wide array of densities, opacities, heights, and other benefits. Knitted netting can create nets that are extremely lightweight, resistant to corrosion, and able to withstand UV rays and extreme weather changes. These properties make knitted netting a more secure choice when trying to deter birds.
Knitted nets are the best type of netting for agricultural bird control.
Because they provide superior strength and protection from pest birds, thousands of acres of farmland, including vegetable crops, fruit trees, vineyards, row crops, and ornamental plants, can be protected.
How to Choose the Best Bird Netting for Your Vineyard?
Bird nets play a very important role in bird conservation. They are one of the most cost-effective ways to protect our vineyard from birds. So, what are some tips when picking bird netting? Which factors should be considered in order to make the right choice? Let’s sum up by explaining the basics.
Factors to consider
- Denier
- weight
- Size and shape of hole
- Shading
- Color
- Size of the Bird
Which Vineyard Netting is the Best?
The 4 types offered by EyouAgro
There are many different types of netting for vineyards.
Each one is meant to serve a specific purpose, and it’s important to know what that netting is before you purchase it.
if you want to buy vineyard side netting, vineyard hail netting, vineyard bird netting,
please contact our email: info@eyouagro.com. We will give our professional advice and opinion
How to Install Bird Nets for Vineyards
Why do wineries put netting on grapevines?
During veraison—the stage of fruit development in which grapes are softening, increasing in size, and getting sweeter—birds can smell the increasing sugar content, and they’ve begun to assemble at vineyards and wineries.
Netting a vineyard to prevent bird damage is an arduous task. We walk through the vineyards, placing bird netting over the grapevines.
As the grapes must be laid in place gently so that they do not damage the developing grapes, covering them with netting is a time-consuming, labor-intensive procedure. It would be best to secure it near the grapevine trunk to prevent the birds from eating the grapes under the net. The woven mesh net will remain in place until the time comes for harvest.
3 types of installation for vineyard netting you should know
Vineyard Drape Netting
In the United States, traditional netting drapes over many vines or one row of vines, depending on the width of the netting. It is typically woven or extruded from plastic. Applying it can be not easy.
As a result, leaves, tendrils, and vines find their way into the mesh, making it more difficult to remove the net at the end of the season.
It can be divided into single-row drapes and multi-row drapes.
- Single Row Drape
The single-row vineyard drape netting is perfect for horticultural use, orchards, nurseries, and vineyards. It is also great for shade cloths and can be used in greenhouses and row covers to protect plants from pests, birds, and deer.
This material can also provide an insect barrier to keep pests out of your plants, which makes it a great choice for organic growers. It is also UV-resistant and can be used as shade cloth.
The single-row vineyard drape netting has many uses because it is so durable, making it ideal for almost any situation.
2. Multi-Row Drape
Multi-row vineyard drape netting supports vines and shoots in the early stages of growth and may be used as a canopy or mid-season support. It can be used by itself or with other forms of support, such as teepees, arbors, or trellis systems. This product is weatherproof, rot-resistant, and UV-stabilized to prevent deterioration from sunlight exposure. Netting comes in different sizes depending on growing requirements.
Vineyard Side Netting / Vineyard Zone Netting
In Australia and New Zealand, nets covering only the fruiting zone have been very popular, and they are becoming more popular in eastern U.S. regions. This netting is much easier and less cumbersome to apply than the netting necessary to cover an entire row, and it’s also far less expensive. You can roll up some side netting on a wire and store it year-round in the vineyard. Ensure that the netting is fastened both above and below the fruiting zone, or else, birds will still be able to get into grapes in spite of the netting. We recommend these nets for repelling birds, grasshoppers, Japanese beetles, and wasps.
Overhead Vineyard Netting
Vineyards can be protected with overhead nets that cover the entire orchard. Wires are strung between posts on the vine row, and the net is suspended above the cables like a roof. To provide 12 or more inches of clearance above the vines, longer posts can be installed in new vineyards. Adding extensions to posts can raise the wire about 8 feet from the ground or 12 inches above vines if an existing vineyard is being retrofitted for this type of netting.
It is advantageous to install this type of netting at the ends of rows so that a tractor or truck can be driven underneath the canopy and into the vineyard. Mowing, watering, grape picking, and removing lugs can be done without touching the vine netting.
Which installation type is suitable for you?
Contact us to tell us your specific needs and projects, and we will give you professional advice.
How to put netting on grapevine？
Installing vineyard drape netting
Installing vineyard side netting
Installing overhead vineyard netting
Tools and accessories commonly used in vineyard nets
Vineyard netting clips
- vineyard side netting clips
- vineyard netting kits
- vineyard netting fasteners
Vineyard netting machine
- vineyard bird netting applicator
- vineyard net winder
Vineyard Wire
- Grapevine Trellis Wire
- vineyard wire clips / catch wire clips
5 Tips of Vineyard Netting You Are Interested in
When to cover grapes with netting
The best time to net the grapes is when the bunches begin to develop, which is generally in mid-spring. Some grape varieties ripen in summer, making them large and colored; the color first appears several weeks before the grape is fully ripe.
At this time of year, birds will come to your vineyard from time to time to grab food.
It would be best if you got your orchard fitted with nets in time to avoid severe damage.
Where to buy vineyard netting
EyouAgro is extremely experienced in agricultural protection and can produce all types of agricultural protection nets, including bird protection nets, shade nets, hail nets, aluminets, and ground cover etc.
If you need a quote, don’t hesitate to contact us.
What’s the Vineyard Netting Price?
Different prices depend on the size of the net, the size of the mesh, the color, and the quantity. So, if you need it, we can give you a professional quote based on your particular situation. You can also use our quote calculator to get a reference quote.
How Long does Vineyard Netting Last?
Typically, bird netting can be used outdoors for up to five years because of its UV-resistant and anti-aging properties. These ingredients ensure that the bird netting is used outdoors for a long time.
With the ease of protection for several years with a single investment, these nets have a very high economic value for your orchard.
Conclusion
Bird netting is a must-have in any vineyard or winery where birds are a problem. Using the right bird netting can protect the most vulnerable parts of your grapevine, help you preserve the quality and quantity of your harvest, and lower your overall costs. These benefits justify the upfront cost of bird netting for grapevines, so be sure to find an experienced professional about what kind of netting will work best for you.
EyouAgro can provide expert advice about bird netting and solve all your purchasing and importing problems.
