Canopy pays for itself

August 16, 2022

Are you taking losses annually from hail, sunburn or bird attack?

You are investing a lot of money in your crops, so you should be protecting your investment.

You can spray to protect your crop, but you need to continually monitor and re-apply sprays—which is good for bugs, fungal disease etc—and can be costly for sunburn and wind rub problems; not to mention bird attack, which can cause considerable losses, resulting in less yield and lost income.

Some orchardists tend to think of net as a last solution to protection, probably because of costs in constructing a protective canopy. However, if you are trying to protect your crops, it is a good investment.

In some cases, a protective canopy can pay itself off in five years because of increased yields, less water evaporation and no bird attack.

Growers who have netting will attest to the benefits of protective canopies. Some growers intend to cover their entire orchards.

Some cherry growers benefit by using drape over nets, as they know the potential damage that can occur from birds. As an orchardist, make enquires about the benefits of netting. It’s a free service with no obligations.

For more information see, Tree Fruit Magazine https://www.treefruit.com.au/orchard/canopies/permanent-structures/76-canopy-pays-for-itself