Shade Net for Greenhouse and Nursery: A Setup Guide

A greenhouse without shading is a solar oven for half the Indian year. Shade netting is the simplest, cheapest climate control a protected cultivation setup can add, and using it well is mostly a matter of layout.

The Three Places Shade Net Goes

Over the roof. The workhorse position. A net stretched above the poly film (with an air gap of 20 to 30 cm) intercepts heat before it enters, which is far more effective than shading from inside. 50% is the standard starting point for vegetable poly houses.

On the sides. Side screens at 35% to 50% block low-angle afternoon sun and slow hot winds, while still ventilating. In naturally ventilated poly houses, the side net is also the insect barrier, so many growers fit 40-mesh insect screen below and shade net above.

As internal curtains. Larger greenhouses hang retractable shade layers inside, pulled across in peak hours and drawn back on cloudy days. If you are building new, plan the wire supports for this from day one — retrofitting is harder.

Nursery Layouts

A production nursery usually needs at least two light zones:

Moving plants through zones as they mature produces tougher stock than raising everything under one dense net.

Double Layering in Extreme Heat

In peak summer across Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Vidarbha, some growers double a 50% net over sensitive crops rather than buying a 90% net for a 6-week problem. Two 50% layers give roughly 75% combined shade and come apart again in monsoon. It is a practical approach — just make sure the structure carries the extra wind load.

Colour Choice for Protected Cultivation

Green is the default and hides algae and dust. Black lasts longest and gives the most stable shade value. White raises diffuse light inside, which several flower crops reward with better colour, and keeps the house visibly cooler. Any other colour can also be produced to order, so the net can match your structure or brand if that matters to the project.

Fixing It Properly

Use plastic clips or sewn-in border eyelets — never bare wire through the mesh. Tension the net so it cannot flap. Flapping is what wears a net out at the fixing points. Leave drainage paths so monsoon water never pools on the surface.

Planning a poly house or nursery? Share your structure dimensions in our quote form and we will calculate net quantities, widths, and shade factors for each zone.