Benefit of Hail Nets

Hailstorms are capable of ravaging farms, sometimes every summer, in certain areas around the world. Through the use of hail nets, valuable plants, crops, other cultivations, and other properties could be protected from severe weathers like hails while still letting sun and rain pass through without ever being damaging.

hail netting — Apple trees being protected from hail with protection netting

Using a frame or any structure for support, hail nets could be installed with considerable efficiency to endure the weight and force, even the ones of a significant amount, of hails. Hail netting is also economical and flexible in its possible applications. The nets could be used for shading, not just for humans but also for the plants. Crops could also be saved from birds through the use of the net.

Other applications the net could also serve other than hail protection netting includes fruit netting, anti-bird netting, pond netting and shade netting. The net also offers protection from insects ranging from grasshoppers, Japanese beetles, and stink bugs. Because of its weight being light, fewer support poles could be applied to give it a proper frame. Its size could also be easily customized by simply cutting it.

Other Features Given by Hail Nets

anti hail net — Notice how the two pieces of hail net installed over this apple orchard are left with an opening that allows the hail to run down once the net breaks the fall

Aside from hails and thunderstorms, hail nets are also used for protection from any gust and strong winds. Too much water could also be harmful to plants. These nets also lessen exposure from the waters above, particularly from rain. Other than water, too much sunlight is also harmful, its exposure a hail net could also reduce, not only for the plants but also for the farmers and gardeners themselves. Human beings could also heat up but they could sweat and cool themselves like tree leaves, which can maintain their temperature through transpiration. Unfortunately, fruits are incapable of the feature so excess light could easily heat them up which in turn, causes sunburn. Shade provided by the netting could be used for reducing these sunburns and also blisters.

Hail nets are also capable of reduction in plant stress. With less stress, plants are able to photosynthesize and continue creating carbohydrates even later in the day. Photosynthesis is known to significantly drop after midday. With the netting, plants would see an increase in their branching, vertical growth, canopy volume and overall growth. Other than that, the nets also give off a thermal effect and reduce spray drift, a common cause of unwanted chemical movement that could damage plants and animals, the environment itself and even human beings.

The Products Popular Sizes and Uses

22ft. × 45ft. and 50ft. × 50ft. hail net coated against UV rays for protecting gardens from too much exposure from sunlight.
Knitted hail netting 32ft. × 5ft., 16ft. × 4ft., 8ft. × 4 ft. for covering PVC hoops in garden.
15ft. × 28ft. hail nets for covering hoop frame raised beds in garden.

Photo-sensitive Hail Nets

Hail nets of different colors, according to Dr. Lee Kalcsits and Dr. Stefano Musacchi from the Washington State University, are capable of reducing wind speed and light intensity and might impact tree growth and sunburn.

anti hail protection — Hail netting protection also acts as a light inhibitor providing a few percentage points of shade

The quality of light under the netting could be manipulated by changing its colors. Vegetative growth is said to be obtained under a blue light while the blooming of fruits and flowers could be encouraged under a red light combined with blue light. Researchers in Europe have discovered that red nets are responsible for the reduction in return bloom and over-coloring in fruits while blue nets are for the increase in vegetative growth and strength. Nevertheless, the effects of the colors of the nets will only be perceptible after multiple years since these effects are cumulative, according to Kalcsits and Musacchi.

hail protection — in order to install hail netting on top of the rows of grapevines, it is important to anchor the ends using a tension post, installed at an angle.

Hail nets can be used to protect vegetable crops grown on trellis netting like HORTOMALLAS. HORTOCLIPS tomato rings can be used to fasten plants to such netting.