In our long list of infrastructure development initiatives, shade net was an important one. Primarily because we needed an area to store the saplings which arrived almost 3-4 weeks before scheduled planting. Apart from storage of new saplings, we intend to raise a vegetable nursery within the structure. For now, we plan on sowing enough brinjal seedlings for about an acre on the field. Once we are done with this, we will try getting adventurous with some of the other exotic and not-so exotic veggies - just to prove the concept before scaling it up.
Following are some of the pictures of the shade net construction.
A total of 91 of these clamps were used for this structure measuring 120 ft by 60 ft. Distance between 2 successive poles was 10 ft.
Getting the structure intact..
A round of rotavator was performed before putting the fabric. (This was done to make the soil fine for the nursery)
Stretching the fabric..covering the top of the structure.Fabric was a mix of 50% and 35%. (35% means only 65% of sunlight penetrates through the roof)
Sewing up the corners..
A simple mix of cement mix, stones and sand was used to keep the base sturdy.
The sides need to be earthed up (about 8-10 inches high). This not only keeps the wall erect but also prevents rain water from entering inside.
Completed..
Following are some of the pictures of the shade net construction.
Great work. will you be able to post cost break up for this activity?
ReplyDeletePls can you give the cost breakup for this?
ReplyDeleteYou can reach me at 94450 76595 for details.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI am one of the keen followers of the blog.
Can you kindly share your experience with the shade net so far?
Were you able to grow vegetables in it? How is the crop performance in shade net? Is there significant benefit in using shade net for growing vegetables.
I want to install one in our farm in Kayathar (near Tirunelveli). Water requirement to grow vegetables in the open farm has been very challenging so far, and i see the big issue is the heat. the water we provide thru drip irrigation is getting dried very quickly because of the heat and wind. I am seriously thinking if a closed shadenet will resolve the issue. Additionally it will protect from the insects as well, right? But what about pollination?
We have cultivated spinach, bhindi, aloe vera, cluster beans and radish for in house purpose. Typically, the fabric will last 3-4 years. Ensure there are enough trees around it. You should roll up the sides to encourage pollination.
Delete