Everything you need to know about shading grids

In the dry summer period, both beginners and experienced gardeners and gardeners find it difficult to protect their crops from the hot sun. Even after heavy torrential rains, the air temperature can rise too quickly, which will speed up the evaporation of water from the soil, which is why people invented a shading grid. It can be used both for greenhouse crops and for plants in open plantations. Also, nets come in different weaves and densities, which allows you to optimize shade for different types of crops.

Shading nets have many useful functions besides keeping plants from the scorching sun. They can be used on the farm to protect crops from birds or as a shed, awning and even a fence.

Shading mesh is a synthetic fabric with different types of weaves. The thread from which the mesh is created is made from raw materials that have been recycled one or more times. This reduces the pollution factor of the environment and significantly reduces the cost of the network.... Due to the fact that the light-protective mesh is made of synthetic material, it is resistant to sudden changes in the weather, does not melt in the sun, does not rot from moisture and does not lose its color. In addition, the service life of a canvas made of artificial material is up to 10 years, which is quite a lot in relation to the price.

Such protection from the sun will reduce the temperature under the canopy by 5-10 degrees, and the cellular structure of the weave will allow the necessary amount of light to pass through to the plants. It is also worth noting the protective properties of the mesh from bad weather and pests. During strong winds, rain or hail, shaded mesh fences exclude the possibility of damage and destruction of the crop. It will be difficult for birds and large insects to reach plants through such reliable protection.

If you wish, you can make a shadow mesh with your own hands by tying a nylon thread with knots. This weaving method prevents creep when cutting the fabric or tearing during use. This will require a synthetic thread and a lot of free time, so it is often advised to purchase a mesh in specialized stores, because it is inexpensive.

The mass production of shading nets fully meets the requirements for the quality of the finished material, the factory cloth will be no worse than homespun. The material for making the mesh is thin polyethylene tapes from recycled materials. This affects the appearance of the web: the more varied the recycled material, the less uniform the web will be. It can be of different thicknesses and in some places blister. Manufacturers also take this factor into account and carefully sort the raw materials in order to get better quality products as a result.

In addition to uniformity, nets are also distinguished by the degree of weave density and color. Different weaving is necessary in order for the shading to suit more plant species.By using the different mesh sizes in the mesh, you can easily create shadows that block out light with an efficiency of 30 to 90%. Different colors also have different benefits to consider when choosing a light protection mesh.

Choosing a mesh looks like a fairly straightforward task, but to get the most out of the shading, you need to be careful with every little detail. It is necessary to choose the right color, density and mesh for different needs. Greenhouse mesh will be very different from outdoor mesh. The mesh is produced in various sizes: from 2x20 to 5x50 meters. And this is also not the limit - if necessary, you can find a shading mesh more than the standard parameters.

Shading grids are classified according to three main criteria: density, color, and purpose. Let's consider each type in more detail.

The degree of protection of plants from ultraviolet radiation depends on the density of the weave - the level of shading can vary from 40 to 95 percent.

Therefore, it is worth studying the characteristics of each level of weave density before proceeding with the installation of awnings.

• The largest cells in the mesh allow enough sunlight to pass through for light-loving crops like cucumbers. A shade with a shading density of 40-45 percent will protect the soil well from drying out and increase the yield by 10-15%. It is very important for cucumbers to keep the soil moist, because this is an important factor in the taste of the fruit.
• The smartest choice for tomatoes would be a canvas with a shade level of 55-60 percent. Also, a covering net is well suited for protecting strawberries and greens from heat, and for tomatoes it will become reliable protection from high temperatures, because their fruits are very sensitive to direct sunlight.
• Shade netting with 70-80 percent light transmittance is best suited for stretching outside greenhouses. So the shoots will receive enough light and will not be damaged during frost.
• A protective shade netting can also be used as a carport or guardrail - for such cases, the densest netting is used, with 85-90 percent light rejection. To protect cultivated plants, this degree of light penetration is not suitable, therefore, this canvas should not be used for the garden.

Manufacturers offer a wide range of shading mesh colors. In demand are:

• white;
• beige;
• classic green;
• black;
• red;
• gray.

Moreover, each color has its own useful qualities. For example, a gray mesh protects young shoots from the cold better than others - it would be wise to use it for greenhouses.

And in order to increase the yield and improve the quality of the fruits, a red shade is used, which also prevents the appearance of harmful microorganisms.

The production of shade nets is focused on the different needs of the consumer, which is why it is possible to classify such products depending on the method of potential use. For example, a sufficiently dense garden net stretched under the fruit tree can prevent the fruit from falling to the ground. This preserves the neat appearance of the crop and extends its shelf life.

Of course, first of all, the shading net is designed to shelter crops. In addition to vegetable gardens and greenhouses, you can use it as a shed.

In this case, a mesh screen with eyelets is well suited. - it will be convenient to pull it between the scaffolding beams and can be easily removed after completion of the work.

Shading screens are made from recycled materials, and in some cases, foil fibers are added to increase the efficiency of the web. After the expiration date, such material, being under hot sunlight, begins to gradually deteriorate, but at the same time does not emit toxic substances into the environment. For the material to last longer, it must be removed after harvest and stored in a dark and cool place until next use.

A high-quality shading net will be much easier to find if you familiarize yourself with the list of bona fide manufacturers in advance. Let's take a look at some of them.

• Premium-Agro company from Poland produces a high quality, medium density shading net that provides the soil with sufficient light and slows down moisture evaporation. Such a canvas is perfect for growing cucumbers and melons.

• The manufacturer "Politarp" is one of the best in Russia. The firm produces strong nets based on high density polyethylene tapes. The brand's products are great for protecting greenhouses.

• To prevent the appearance of burns on tomatoes, it would be wise to choose a protective net from the manufacturer "Biotol"... The material of this company diffuses light well and reduces the effects of ultraviolet rays on the crop.

• Cloth from the Israeli manufacturer Aluminet DB has a very high strength and resistance to different temperatures due to two layers and densely spaced cells. And if you choose a white-red mesh for a greenhouse, you can quickly prepare seedlings for further transplantation into the ground.

• Optima polycarbonate sheet known for its resistance to bad weather, protects crops from strong gusts of wind and hail.

• Metallprofil GmbH is a manufacturer from Germany. Thanks to modern technology, the company has been able to increase the wear resistance of the shading mesh. Such material will last longer than products from other manufacturers.

• Shading canvas from the Greek company Karatzis has a beneficial effect on flowering and fruit setting, and also accelerates the ripening of the crop.

• Agreen Firm produces high-quality light-protection mesh that stabilizes the intensity of ultraviolet rays.

• Italian company Tenax offers a huge selection of a wide variety of fabrics - from lightweight material with large cells to dense polycarbonate that practically does not transmit the sun's rays.

In order to successfully choose a suitable shading mesh for a summer residence, you need to pay attention to the composition of the material. If you are looking for a quality canvas that should last a long time and be durable, you need to look for a polycarbonate mesh. Such shades perfectly resist aggressive external factors, but their price will also be higher than that of paintings with a different composition.

Polymer meshes are also a good choice, they have the same strength at a lower cost. Strong gusts of wind and pests will not cope with this protection.

You can also use the cheapest option - fabric nets. They are good at regulating the intensity of sunlight, but have very low wear resistance. The material is not very durable, it can burst from strong wind, and in conditions of constant humidity it can rot in a very short time.

It is very easy to install a light protection net for vegetables, the main thing is to prepare the necessary tools and stock up on materials. After reading the short instructions, even a novice gardener can easily cope with this.

The easiest shading option is to stretch a net in the garden over the plantation. In the case of greenhouses, most often the canvas is applied outside on the main surface, but you can install it inside above the crop, having previously selected the material of the required density. If you are going to cover a small area with short plants, you can make an arch-shaped support frame.

For a homemade frame, you will need wooden beams or metal rods.

• To prepare the frame for the canopy with your own hands, you first need to determine the places for the installation of the supporting beams and make depressions in the soil from 50 cm to 1 meter. Supports can be installed at a shallow depth, because the mesh is a very light material, and due to its structure, it does not have a sail, thus, it cannot violate the integrity of the frame. And deeper, the pillars are installed in order to protect themselves, because if the pillar falls, it can seriously injure a person.
• Then it is necessary to install several transverse piles for the strength of the structure so that it resembles a box.
• After that, you can start installing the shading mesh - we make the fastening from wire or buy special clips for the cellular fabric. This canopy is great for shading crop plantations.

To properly cover your greenhouses, you also need to know a few important rules.

• If you cover the greenhouse with a sun screen, you do not need to remove it when the cold weather sets in. The canvas will serve as additional protection against freezing of plants.
• Correctly attached shading net helps to keep warm inside the greenhouse well during the first day after installation. This will be an added bonus during cold spring nights.
• You can attach the shading mesh screen with eyelets to any greenhouse cover. Fragile materials such as glass or honeycomb polycarbonate, plastic sheeting or light-transmitting plastic will easily withstand a shading cloth covering.

If the cover sheet is not one piece, it can be sewn from several pieces. To fix the mesh on a wooden frame, you can use special fasteners (clips) or use a furniture stapler. It will be reasonable to pull the canvas with eyelets over the frame using a cable or nylon cord. This method of attaching the mesh is quite reliable, but not fully effective.

To use more useful properties, it is necessary to make a frame around the greenhouse, an air gap should form between the mesh and the greenhouse. You can make a frame with your own hands from a tube for furniture. It is easy to attach a shading net to such a structure using clips, and the new structure of the greenhouse will significantly increase the yield of plants inside.