The Application of Bird and Hail Protection Nets in Fruit Tree Production

Bird and hail protection netting is a simple structure designed to prevent damage from birds and hail, with an investment of approximately 2,900 yuan per mu.

The structure is relatively easy to set up. First, dig holes 70–80 centimeters deep in the ground and install wooden posts in them, ensuring the posts extend 4.2 meters above ground level. Then, string steel wire across the posts, drape the hail protection netting over the top, and secure bird protection netting around the perimeter.

The mesh size of the hail protection net is approximately 8 millimeters; generally, hailstones around 10 millimeters in diameter can be blocked by the net, protecting fruit trees from hail damage. The net also serves as a bird deterrent, with particularly noticeable results for fruits with superior taste. Orchards equipped with bird and hail protection nets have relatively higher humidity, which helps retain moisture in the leaves of fruit trees. Orchards with this facility provide some insulation in the early morning and evening, and a cooling effect at midday, offering protection against the damage caused by late spring frosts and late spring cold snaps.

This facility has been widely promoted in Shouyang County. Since 2015, Shouyang County has begun installing bird and hail protection nets in the Yuluxiang Pear orchards, and as of now, the area covered has reached approximately 3,500 mu. Orchards equipped with these nets have seen significant improvements in quality and efficiency. They effectively prevent various birds from damaging Yuluxiang pears, ensuring both the appearance of the fruit and increased yields. Particularly in areas where late frosts occur later in the season or where hail is common, these nets help mitigate disasters and reduce losses, with yield increases reaching over 30%.