How much net do I need?

Hey fellas!

I have a cherry tree that's about to be ripe soon, but each year it's being prowled around by crows (lots of crows in the Summer here where I live), and the last 2 years I barely got any cherries out of it (about 20 kg at a rough estimate), where normally it should be at least 100-120 kg, as it's full of fruit before the cherries ripen, but only down to a few buckets after the crows swarm it.

Anyway, after talking to a few people that are in the same spot as me, they all said that the best option is to cover the tree in net so that the crows can't reach the cherries while the tree still has air to wash the fruits with, but the problem is that I can't figure out how much net I need. I know that I should've asked this to those 2 people that I've talked to, but they're gone unfortunately (they were here only on Sunday while he were hosting a BBQ, and I don't have their phone numbers as they're kind of distant relatives... one of them I think even left the country already as he's working abroad, so yeah...)

So, my question is: how do I calculate the length (or is it circumference? volume? quantity? I don't know how to explain this) of the net that I need to buy?

Just to help you out help me out I'll mention that the tree - on my rough guesstimation - is about 10 meters tall, and about... hmm... 3-4 meters wide? (depends on where you measure it, but let's say 4m wide). So around those measurements (the first 1.5-2 meters from the ground are the stem, after that the canopy starts and it's like I said, about 3-4 meters wide...)

So yeah, please let me know if you know how to quantify the amount of net that I need cause I can't figure this for the life of me. Thanks!

Ringing zzzzzzzzz

Hello ChatGPT are you there?

If yes please answer @tazarbm

Comeon man

Nicks_ said:

Ringing zzzzzzzzz

Hello ChatGPT are you there?

If yes please answer @tazarbm

Comeon man

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not only do I not use AI, but I despise it with my entire being, so begone with that blasphemy

tazarbm said:

not only do I not use AI, but I despise it with my entire being, so begone with that blasphemy

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But AI can definitely help to immediate answer to these questions isnit? Rather than begin to the mathematics

Nicks_ said:

But AI can definitely help

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AI can NEVER definitely help, I don't know why you got that idea, all that AI does is steal people's content and rewrites it, if people don't produce content the garbage AI can't help with anything.

Nicks_ said:

Rather than begin to the mathematics

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I was hoping for someone with experience, not good at mathematics. See how it's not always about the AI?

tazarbm said:

See how it's not always about the AI?

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It's not always about the AI at all but most of these basic answers we can get from it in better ways.

I’ll close this topic by saying that.

Stay blessed

Nicks_ said:

It's not always about the AI at all but most of these basic answers we can get from it in better ways.

I’ll close this topic by saying that.

Stay blessed

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I disagree, but yeah, let's close this discussion as I wait for a helpful reply.

Since bots are all bragging about "looking for real experiences only, not just theory" I guess that 2 can play that game so I'll ask the same

I think 20x20 m net should be fine according to my rough math, if i am not wrong

A close friend of mine owns an apple orchard in Himachal Pradesh (Snowy Indian State). That's where I've seen these tree nests.

At first they looked almost spide-web-esque from the road. I mean, you're travelling you see a small hill/mountain to your left, lush greenery with tall trees. And every single one covered in something like spiderweb. I was confused and intrigued.

It's only when I had the chance to visit (and bite into the best apple I've had in my life, grabbed straight from the tree) did I realise the importance of it.

It's less for birds though and more as an anti-hail protection device.



(Not my pic)

Moral of the story is I've left him a message with the contents of your OP and will respond based on what he says.

BlogPro said:

Moral of the story is I've left him a message with the contents of your OP and will respond based on what he says.

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thanks! And yeah, that's exactly what I'm looking for, as well. Hopefully your friend can reply within few days, or else I'm buying a rifle and gun those fuckers down as there are so many of them...

MildlyActive said:

I think 20x20 m net should be fine according to my rough math, if i am not wrong

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noted! But I'll wait for more inputs, but thanks!

tazarbm said:

or else I'm buying a rifle and gun those fuckers down as there are so many of them...

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Would that not be more fun ?

I vote : D

SirTop said:

Would that not be more fun ?

I vote : D

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sounds like fun for murder-happy people, not for me. For me it would be an unnecessary crime, which is why I'd rather use nets

tazarbm said:

sounds like fun for murder-happy people, not for me. For me it would be an unnecessary crime, which is why I'd rather use nets

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Infact crime is a choice so always avoid it. no matter how hard is the situation is.

Kudos to your positive thinking

tazarbm said:

sounds like fun for murder-happy people, not for me. For me it would be an unnecessary crime, which is why I'd rather use nets

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YEah, I was just kiddin' actually... Crows are known to be very smart birds, by the way

I hope this net method actually works out well : )

SirTop said:

YEah, I was just kiddin' actually.

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I know. I've chatted with you many times, so I know that you don't advocate for such things

SirTop said:

Crows are known to be very smart birds, by the way

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well, smart or not they need to stay the F away from my cherries

SirTop said:

I hope this net method actually works out well : )

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it will! It's the best non-harmful way of keeping the cherries intact (at least most of them), everything else that I've researched (scary faces balloons, gadgets that mimic the sounds of birds of prey, etc) all seem less efficient in the long run, so nets it will be

I think a good psyop would be to buy or make decoys of their natural predator in your area like maybe hawks, then possibly connect to audio mic or motion sensors for added efficiency and fun. Everyone is a badass until someone stronger shows up, good luck brother!

Jason Starkey said:

I think a good psyop would be to buy or make decoys of their natural predator in your area like maybe hawks, then possibly connect to audio mic or motion sensors for added efficiency and fun. Everyone is a badass until someone stronger shows up, good luck brother!

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I thought this would be effective too, but 2 things...

- I looked up reviews on my local ecom sites for such a setup, and most of them said they're only effective for a few days, after that the crows get used to them and ignore them

- and secondly, just the device alone that was supposed to mimic birds of prey sounds was like 200+ Euros, and I don't have that kind of money... even the net I'll borrow money from my cousin for, so you can figure out what my financial situation is at the moment. And if I see those crows again tomorrow before I pick my cherries I think I'll go on a slaughter spree... if I can catch the damn birds that is...

Anyway, net is going to be, it's been decided!

ProfADS said:

You don’t need volume for this — you need enough netting to cover the surface of the tree canopy.

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yeah, that's what the other 2 guys said as well. I only need to know how much of it to buy, that's all...

ProfADS said:

A simple estimate:

Circumference = width × π
4 m × 3.14 ≈ 12.6 m

Then multiply by canopy height:

12.6 m × 8 m ≈ 101 m²

Add extra for overlap, tying, and irregular branches, so I’d buy around 120–140 m² of netting.

For example, if the net is sold in rolls 10 m wide, you’d want about 12–14 meters length. If it’s 5 m wide, you’d need about 24–28 meters length.

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see, this is the stuff that I made this thread for! Thanks a lot, man I appreciate the breakdown of this...

ProfADS said:

Also make sure the mesh holes are small enough that crows can’t get their heads through, and leave some slack so branches don’t tear it.

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yep, already account for this

Thanks again!

Word to the wise, make sure any pests that affect the cherry tree (not sure if they get moths like apple trees) aren't out and about before you net the tree. Otherwise you're giving them a free buffet. And ofc make sure you thin the cherries as well if you haven't yet since you won't be able to easily get in there to do it afterwards.

I've grown up on an apple orchard and have my own fruit trees now. BTW, WTF do i do with 20 current bushes?

PetraAnn said:

I've grown up on an apple orchard and have my own fruit trees now. BTW, WTF do i do with 20 current bushes?

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That what I was about to ask wtf you do with twenty bushes ?

PetraAnn said:

make sure you thin the cherries

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what does this mean? Remove the bad ones, or??

PetraAnn said:

BTW, WTF do i do with 20 current bushes?

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no idea, it's the 1st time in my life that I'm dealing with trees, so I'm not the best person to ask

But maybe burn then?? Or just uproot them...