A woven net is one of the simplest things you might have in your garden. However, it is often the humblest and unnoticed objects that are the most useful. Similarly, the woven net has several uses that you may not immediately realise at first, and hence you must have some extra in your tool-shed.
What Is A Woven Net?
Woven netting, commonly used in gardening, is usually made of nylon, polyester or a similar material. Back in the day, the nettings used to deteriorate and get brittle over time. The main culprit for deterioration outdoor is usually UV rays from the sun, which break down the polymers in the synthetic fibres. But thanks to modern materials, the nettings available today have much more UV resistance, and are hence much more durable even when regularly exposed to sunlight. There are also organic nettings made of plant fibres such as jute, coconut coir and hay. They are completely biodegradable, and simply decay eventually without leaving much waste.
Woven Net for Outdoor Fencing
The UV resistance and durability of the nylon netting make it an ideal material to use in simple outdoor fencing. While it will not make for a sturdy fence to keep out people and large animals, it can serve as temporary or permanent light fencing to mark certain plantation areas. It can help you contain some flightless birds such as chicken and ducks, making it useful as poultry netting. It will also keep pets such as cats and dogs away, unless they are really determined to get through. Erecting such a fencing is incredibly easy and can be done in minutes – just hammer a few short poles into the ground, unroll the netting and attach it to the poles for quick segmentation of your land. Besides segmenting a plot of land, some netting supported by a rigid frame can be used to support tall growing plants in shallow soil. The way this works is that the land is segmented into very small sections, and the plants are planted near the edges of the sections. Since the soil is not deep, the roots are unable to hold the plant upright. But the plant can droop over the netting and, with its support, stand tall. This technique is often used in indoor plantations, where arranging a deep soil layer may not be possible.
Woven Net for Growing Vines
Another important use for netting is as a trellis to grow certain vines. There are various grades of trellis woven net available in the market. Some thinner ones can be used for vegetables such as peas and pepper, while some heavier and sturdier trellis netting can be used as tomato trellis or cucumber trellis. Nylon is quite strong compared and can easily withstand the weight of such heavier vegetables. An appropriate way to set up nylon trellis netting is to support it using a rigid frame made of wood, PVC, metal etc. You can just make a vertical wall like trellis for the vines to climb, or you can even make them overhang or arch to make optimal use of space. The option of overhanging and arching opens up the possibility of decorative use. You can use a decorative plant and make a vine arch, a vine roof or a vine covered walkway using nylon trellis netting. You can also make a privacy wall, since once the vines climb and grow over the trellis, it will be hard to see across.
Woven Net for Lawn Netting
Another use of a woven net is as landscape netting or lawn netting. For this purpose, a new woven out of organic fibres such as coconut fibres, jute fibres or straw is used. It is used to protect soil in erosion prone areas. Once the roots of the plants grow sufficiently, they can hold the soil in place and prevent erosion. Until then, the soil is vulnerable to various elements such as flowing rain water and wind, which can carry away the top layer and degrade the soil. Hence, after the seedbed is prepared and the seeds are planted, a woven net of organic fibres in laid over it and secured in place with pins or staples dug into the soil. It protects the soil from eroding until the seeds sprout and the plants grow sufficient roots. Then the natural fibres can naturally decompose away, creating no waste. This practice is necessary for many exposed areas where soil erosion can be a problem. In some regions such as hilly areas, which are particularly prone to erosion, nylon nets are permanently deployed to provide additional protection to the soil even after the plants grow.
Woven Net for Bird Netting
Finally, the last use of woven nets that we shall take a look at is as bird netting. Bird netting keeps away birds by simply making a physical barrier between the birds and the trees they are getting to. You can install netting to protect any sort of plant such as tomatoes, peppers etc. If it grows on a vine, and you already have a trellis installed supported by a rigid frame, you can simply pull the net over the same frame and close the ends and it will effectively deter birds. However, if you have free standing shrubs then you might need to install some sort of frame over it to effectively install the net. Before getting a net, you need to research the species of plant eating bird common in your region. The choice of the appropriate net will depend on the type and size of the bird you are trying to deter. There are many reusable nets which can be easily removed when unnecessary. There are also some nets to deter larger animals such as deer from eating your plants. They work in a similar way as the bird netting.
It is clear that the humble woven net is a highly versatile tool for gardening or farming. The nylon netting is a versatile multi purpose net, while there are various other nets made of different materials for specific applications.
