Netting advice : hardware and how to net a GDC

[BigH]

Veraison starting to hit in central Iowa. Marquette started last weekend and some of the other varieties are turning this weekend.

Two questions regarding netting:

1- What hardware do you use to secure the nets in place? Last year I draped a 14' net over my TWC rows and then stitched them to each other near the ground with zip ties. It worked, but was a pain to take down. Is there a better way?

2- What is the best way to net a GDC trellis?

Please share any netting advice that you have. I netted a bit less than half my crop last year, and found that it wasn't as easy as it looked. Would like to net everything this year.

H

 

[KevinL]

If I could add another question on to this:

Where do you purchase your bird netting? I've looked around and found some at a reasonable cost, but as I've discovered with this forum, there is almost always some place better than what I find on my own.

 

[dwhill40]

Two years ago I bought a 17x1000 avigard net from Plantra after a good bit of research. It ran about $370 total price. I reused the nets this year and had no issues. I have about 500 ft of trellis so I use twine to stitch it the bottom by rolling the meeting sides and looping the string through the two sides gathered up. It is a pain to get on the ground and do that but my bird pressure is 100%. I have lyre style trelliis and with heavy growth the two sides come together with about a foot to roll up before stitching. I use a very sharp knife to remove the twine so taking the nets down is quick and not difficult. Is it a sin to kill a mockingbird when they're eating wine grapes?

 

[TonyR]

I have side netting that i bought about 8 years ago from http://www.spectrellising.com/. I use the clips they sell. Have also used clothes pins. They work real good

 

[Johny99]

I use bread bag clips. I buy them by the case from my local vineyard supplier. Easy on and off, quick and cheap. A cheap nail apron works well to hold them in.

As for putting nest on, I volunteered at a local vineyard and adapted their system. I use VSP, it should work with TWC as well. Works best with three people, but I can do it alone as well. I have nest cut to length for each row. I put them in a big tub, plastic from a nursery from a tree, perhaps 20 Gallaher no or so. I rigged a harness like a base drum would have so it hangs in front of me, about waist high. I knot the end of the net so I can find it. And put the net in the tub. I made a large "P" of 3/4 inch pvc pipe. Length is about 6 ft. The loop of the P about 12 in on a side. The P is to hold the net up over the vines and trellis. Slip the end of the net through the P, loop it over the end post. Hold the P up and lay the net over the row as you walk. It is faster to have a person on each side of the row pulling the side of the net down. It lays out real nice. Three of us can put the net over 150 ft row in about 10 minutes. Slower if I'm alone as I then have to walk each side to pull the net down to clip. My rows are about 9-10 ft high depending on the vigor of the shots. My top wire is at 6 ft.

Removal is kinda the reverse, but as someone walks along with the P, I slide the net through my hand to gather it into a nice rope and coil it into a plastic garbage bag inside the tub. Tie the top, label for which row and into storage for next year! No it isn't quite that easy, you have to remove leaves and junk along the way, but I can remove a net with two people in about ten minutes.

 

[balatonwine]

I have lyre style trelliis

Nice vineyard.

Is it a sin to kill a mockingbird when they're eating wine grapes?

I do not know. But in my humble opinion common starlings in large groups are like flying rats.

 

[balatonwine]

.... I rigged a harness like a base drum would have so it hangs in front of me, about waist high. I knot the end of the net so I can find it. And put the net in the tub. I made a large "P" of 3/4 inch pvc pipe.... .

Interesting setup. Demo of it in action would make for a great 2 minute video.

 

[Johny99]

Interesting setup. Demo of it in action would make for a great 2 minute video.

Yeah, but that would take a 4th person. Of course my wife might just do that for the amusement.

 

[balatonwine]

Yeah, but that would take a 4th person. Of course my wife might just do that for the amusement.

Naw. Just use a tripod. The three of us, me, myself and I, have done that to video tape my vineyard work.

 

[Johny99]

Naw. Just use a tripod. The three of us, me, myself and I, have done that to video tape my vineyard work.

Well looks like I'll start netting before the eclipse so if I can't get a film crew, I'll try that.