Farming is changing in South Africa with many of the country’s farmers changing to more intensive products that produce a higher yield and are more lucrative. This includes fruit varieties such as blueberries, citrus and even kiwi fruit. As land is in short supply, farmers are also looking to other areas of the country to plant their crops, including the dry semi-arid and hotter interior zones. One way that farmers are able to control these crops in these challenging regions is through netting.

Why Net Agricultural Crops?

Netting provides farmers with a range of advantages. Citrus fruits such as naartjies, lemons, clementines, mandarins, and oranges as well as macadamia nuts, mangos, avocados and even table-grape vineyards can all benefit from netting. As there is an increased pressure from consumers for better quality fruit, nets are a way for farmers to control the quality and yield of specific crops.  

Advantages of netting crops:

• Nets protect orchards and fruits from a range of harsh weather conditions, including extreme temperatures, harsh sunlight and frost or hail.

• One of the biggest advantages to using shade nets is that sunburn on fruit is greatly reduced.

• Air temperatures can be reduced through the use of shade netting which in turn leads to a decreased temperature for the fruit and leaves themselves and a decrease in soil temperature. Lower temperatures allow plants to transpire at a natural rate, taking up nutrients throughout the day, rather than during specific times of the day.

• Nets also help to protect fruit from damage caused by birds, resulting in better quality of fruit and larger and more uniform berries. Due to less damage, fruit will also need less preparation and this also helps to reduce labour costs.

• Nets can act as windbreaks, reducing the wind speed through an orchard by up to 50% and greatly reducing wind damage to crops.

• Pest and disease management are one of the main drivers for using agricultural netting, however snails can become a factor due to the reduced presence of birds.

• Weaker orchards can fare better under nets as growth is more vigorous due to an increase in the number and length of shoots owing to higher humidity levels under the net and reduced climatic stress.

• Less water is used due to less evaporation while drip irrigation is also easier under netting. For some farmers this has resulted in a higher yield while using 40% less water.

• Due to a netting changing the micro-climate beneath the nets, this form of agriculture can help to grow citrus crops on poorer soil.

What to Keep in Mind When Installing Agricultural Netting

There are a variety of ways to install netting in an agricultural environment. As farmers are dealing with food products it is essential to avoid any products that are likely to cause contamination to the ground, water or plants. As plants absorb any chemicals that are present in the water supply or soil, it is necessary to use products that are safe and won’t negatively affect the growth and yield of your crop. The right pressure treated netting poles will not bleed or leach any chemicals into the surrounding environment. If you opt for netting poles that don’t have to be treated on a regular basis you limit the risk of harmful chemicals leaking into your fruit. In addition, treated netting poles have no smell or residue that are likely to affect crops and have a decreased risk of flammability. In addition, the right treated netting poles will not need any additional treatment after being planted and this no maintenance approach drastically reduces labour costs in the long run. The initial treatment of netting poles also helps them to last longer in an agricultural environment as they are not susceptible to rotting or termite infestation. While the cost of setting up the right netting can be significant in the beginning, by choosing the correct netting and poles for your environment, the long-terms costs are lowered as little maintenance is required and the yield should exceed the costs in a couple of years.

Another thing to bear in mind is that your netting poles will anchor the entire structure and thus good quality poles are essential for ensuring the integrity of the structure. To create the most secure structure, the best option is to place netting poles in a diamond pattern, spaced between 12 and 16 metres in each row with wires running in between to support the netting. For hail nets, it is necessary to also create sections where the hail can fall through, while hail nets will also require a stronger material than netting used for shade. When determining the length of your netting poles it is essential to also leave around a 1 metre space above your fruit for bee activity. It is also essential that nets are properly tensioned and attached to their poles as excess wind can cause rubbing against poles and wires and lead to your nets wearing prematurely.