A commercial nursery propagates thousands of plants a year, and netting is one of the most cost-effective tools in the grower's toolkit — but only when the right spec is matched to the job. Seedling protection, nursery canopy shading, frost covers and pest exclusion each need different mesh, GSM and material.
The youngest plants are the most vulnerable: a frost, a hailstorm or a flock of birds can wipe out a propagation batch in minutes. Fine-mesh insect netting (50–60 mesh) is the standard protection at this stage, keeping out aphids and thrips that also carry viral diseases. The mesh must be fine enough for the smallest pest in your region while still letting light and air through. See our insect netting mesh size guide for matching mesh to pest.
Container stock in full sun heats up fast — a black pot in direct sun can cook the root zone before leaf wilt shows. 70–90% shade cloth over the container area is the standard fix. White reflects more heat than black; aluminet reflects the most. For shade-loving species and propagation benches, go to 80–90%; for woody liners and sun-hardened stock, 50–70% is enough. Our shade percentage guide has the crop-by-crop table.
Knitted ground cover or floating row cover nets can be used as a lightweight frost layer over nursery beds — permeable enough to let light and air through, dense enough to hold some radiative warmth from the soil. For light frosts and chilling winds this is fast to deploy and remove. For hard frosts below -3°C a poly tunnel or cloche is the primary system; netting is the first layer, not the only one.
| Job | Net type | Spec | Key concern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insect exclusion (propagation) | Fine insect net | 50–60 mesh | Vector pest exclusion |
| Container shading | Shade cloth | 70–90% shade | Root zone temperature |
| Light frost protection | Ground cover / row cover | 50–70 gsm | Deploy/remove speed |
| Bird exclusion | Bird net | 19–25 mm mesh | Species of bird |
50–60 mesh (under 1 mm aperture) for propagation and seedling protection. Match the finest pest in your region, not the average.
80–90% for heat-sensitive propagation stock. Hardy liners and woody stock do well at 50–70%. White or aluminet reflects more heat than black shade cloth.
Lightweight ground cover nets help against light frost and chilling wind. For frosts below -3°C, a poly tunnel or cloche is the primary system. Netting is the first deployable layer, not a permanent frost structure.
A UV-stabilized HDPE shade cloth lasts 5–8 seasons. Inspect each spring for fibre degradation and chalking, especially in high-UV climates.
Match the net to the nursery stage — insect mesh for propagation, shade cloth for canopy temperature. Tell us your application and we will spec the right net, GSM and size.
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