How to attach bird netting over fruit trees or vegetable garden?

A bird net over fruit trees or vegetable garden is no luxury. Protect your crops from birds. After all, birds can "destroy" a large part of your crops. The choice of protection with bird netting is then quickly made. Bird nets are available in various colours and mesh sizes. The most commonly used mesh size bird net above fruit trees is 22mm x 22mm. We have already written an article on what to look out for when buying bird netting (click here!). This article on attaching bird netting complements it. How do you attach bird netting above your fruit trees or vegetable garden? Every situation is different and you can make it as crazy as you want. Therefore, in this article, we give different possibilities and options on how you can attach bird nets. We outline 3 options: Simple, Thorough and Professional. Each option has its advantages, disadvantages and costs. Read the article and see which option suits your situation best!

Option 1: Simple

First of all, the simple bird net fixing option over your fruit trees or vegetable garden. Simple certainly does not mean it is bad, it is just a simple and cheap way of protecting your crops. The simple option is ideal for somewhat smaller areas. Because bird netting has a larger mesh size than insect netting or hail netting, for example, it is also less wind sensitive. If you go for the simple option, you can make arches with slats or PVC tubes and stretch the bird net over them. The bird net then hangs nicely over the crops and does not touch the crop. The bird net can be fastened to the ground with pegs or pegs and, in some places, to the PVC construction with taywraps.

What you need:
- Bird net;
- PVC pipes or slats;
- Pins/pegs;
- Optional: Taywraps.

We also sometimes get asked whether you can just put bird netting loose on crops. Our advice is not to do so. It will shorten the lifespan of your bird net and make it harder for you to reach your crops. It also happens in practice that birds sometimes still eat from your crops through the bird net.

PRO TIP: You can save on your construction by keeping it simple. However, don't skimp on the bird net itself. There are lots of providers of bird nets, but when making a choice, it is important that you choose professional bird nets for longer life and better protection of your crop.

Option 2: Grounded

The second option is the solid way to attach bird netting above your fruit trees or vegetable garden. When you mount or have a solid construction mounted, it extends the life of your bird nets and your crops are better protected. The construction is also more resistant to severe weather conditions such as storms, hail and hard rain. For example, do you have fencing along the sides of your fruit trees or vegetable garden? You can use the existing fencing to attach your bird nets or install a trellis (see photo below). Installing a greenhouse/tunnel construction is also a solid option to attach your bird net above your fruit trees or vegetable garden. The bird net hangs nicely above the crops in both options. Our advice is to secure the bird net to the sides with pegs or gravel slurves. Gravel trunks are the most friendly way and access to your fruit trees or vegetable garden is easy. With bird netting, use a gravel trunk every 6.0m and 4 at the corners (https://www.fruitsecurityholland.com/nl/grindslurven). Also attach the bird net to the trellis or tunnel with taywraps. Our advice is to mount the taywraps every 50 centimetres.

What you need:
- (customisation) Bird net;
- Fencing or tunnel/greenhouse construction;
- Taywraps;
- Gravel slurs.

PRO TIP: Go for professional custom-made bird nets. With custom-made bird nets, you can decide on the length and width yourself, ensuring you have enough square metres to protect your fruit trees or vegetable garden from birds.

Option 3: Professional

As a third option, the most professional way to attach bird netting over your fruit trees or vegetable garden. In fruit growing, there are several canopies with hail netting or woven film to protect all kinds of fruit crops from hail, rain, sunburn, frost, etc. These are systems that have proven themselves over many years. The construction of these types of systems can also be used well for bird netting. Place wooden posts or concrete posts with anchors in the ground. On the posts, you can attach a wire construction to which the bird net can be attached with special clips. You can install this yourself with explanation from the company where you buy the materials, or you can outsource the installation to people who do this on a daily basis.

What you need:
- Customised bird net;
- Wooden or concrete posts;
- Screw anchors;
- Pole caps;
- Steel wire/steel cable and accessories;
- Fastening clips;
- Gravel slurs.

PRO TIP: FruitSecurity Holland can easily calculate exactly how many materials you need and can help you choose between certain materials. You can also outsource the assembly, but you don't have to. In fact, FruitSecurity Holland can also support you in the assembly with step-by-step plans, possible videos and Whatsapp guidance.

What applications have we supplied bird nets for?

FruitSecurity Holland has supplied and installed bird nets for many different applications. Below is an overview!
- In fruit orchards to protect fruit crops including cherries, blackberries and blueberries;
- Loose over fruit trees;
- At buildings with open areas to keep birds out;
- Between solar panels at fruit crops;
- In several vineyards to protect grapes;
- In chickens, to protect chickens from birds of prey;
- For vegetable gardens of all shapes and sizes;
- For ponds of all shapes and sizes;
- For insulation boards in industrial halls/warehouses;
- As a safety net for football cages;
- And even with tomatoes.

Bird net also fixing or having it fixed in specific places or for specific applications? Please contact FruitSecurity Holland.

In conclusion

So there are 3 options for fixing bird nets over fruit trees or vegetable garden. The simple option is cheap one recommended for small areas. The solid option requires a bit more expertise, but that will benefit the life of the bird net and the storm resistance of your structure. Want to go all professional to protect your fruit trees or vegetable garden from birds? Then attach the bird net to a construction that is also used in professional and modern fruit cultivation.

Always order enough length and width of bird net. This is because bird netting must be stretched to the mesh size. It is therefore wise to always calculate some excess length and width proportionally. Then you will never fall short.

Do you need help ordering professional bird nets or construction? We are happy to help you make a choice and can give you tailored advice. Send us a photo of the current situation, for example, and let us know which option suits you best. We can then easily prepare a tailor-made proposal to help you protect your crops from birds.