Described herein is a pillar knitted crop netting comprising widely spaced knitted pillars and crop netting materials comprising a region(s) having such construction. Also described herein are crop nettings comprising yarns defining apertures to form the netting wherein said apertures have a plurality of sides formed by yarn sections and at least one of those yarn sections may be relatively slack when the netting is held taut in lengthwise and widthwise directions. The above nettings may have advantageous hail passage performance.

A netting enclosure kit comprises a skeleton configured to operate in a plurality of configurations between a first, partially expanded configuration and a second, fully expanded configuration, a netting enclosure comprising a plurality of panels configured to be joined together to enclose or hang from the skeleton in each of the plurality of configurations, a first webbing configured to connect to a first portion of the netting enclosure, a second webbing configured to connect to a second portion of the netting enclosure, and a fastener configured to attached to the first webbing and to the second webbing to form an openable and closeable seam.

A shield for protecting a plant, the shield having: a shield assembly apparatus having: a top apparatus portion; a base apparatus portion having a base center tube extending upwards from a floor; an interior space formed by an association of the top apparatus portion with the base apparatus portion; support stick holes in a circular arrangement along an outer edge; grooves within the interior space; wherein each groove is supported by walls, and extends from a support stick hole to the base center tube, and is sloped such that the walls are taller when meeting the base center tube than when meeting the support stick hole; such that the shield assembly apparatus is capable of supporting frame components within the grooves; and wherein the shield is capable of shielding and protecting the plant without any portion of the shield being supported by the plant.

A shield for protecting a plant, the shield having: a shield assembly apparatus having: a top apparatus portion; a base apparatus portion having a base center tube extending upwards from a floor; an interior space formed by an association of the top apparatus portion with the base apparatus portion; support stick holes in a circular arrangement along an outer edge; grooves within the interior space; wherein each groove is supported by walls, and extends from a support stick hole to the base center tube, and is sloped such that the walls are taller when meeting the base center tube than when meeting the support stick hole; such that the shield assembly apparatus is capable of supporting frame components within the grooves; and wherein the shield is capable of shielding and protecting the plant without any portion of the shield being supported by the plant.

A guard device configured to be disposed concentrically about a generally cylindrical structure, including: a plurality of adjoined panels collectively forming an annular ring structure that is configured to be disposed concentrically about the generally cylindrical structure; an attachment mechanism disposed at one end of one or more of the plurality of adjoined panels that is configured to secure the annular ring structure about the generally cylindrical structure; and one or more adjustment mechanisms disposed along edges of the plurality of adjoined panels that are configured to adjustably couple the plurality of panels together to form the annular ring structure. Each of the adjustment mechanisms includes a slot defining detent positions disposed along an edge of one panel and a mating peg structure disposed along an opposed edge of an adjacent panel, wherein the peg structure is configured to be translated between the detent positions defined by the slot.

A plant cover device comprises an enclosure having mesh material to define a plant-receiving cavity. The enclosure includes a first mesh section having a closed top end, and a first perimeter opposite the closed top end, and a second mesh section having a second perimeter attached to the first perimeter of the first mesh section, and a bottom end opposite the closed top end of the first mesh section defining a trunk receiving opening. The plant cover device also includes a support extending vertically from a ground surface through the first and second perimeters and to abut the closed top end of the enclosure.

Described is an insect net strip produced from a wide insect net which has been cut in a warp direction (xnet) by means of a one-step ultrasonic cutting and welding process. The insect net strip includes warp yarns and weft yarns extending substantially perpendicular to each other and at least 90% of the warp and weft yarns are monofilament yarns made of a thermoplastic material. After cutting and welding process the insect net strip has a first and a second edge extending parallel to said warp yarns each including a deformation zone being constituted by consolidated thermoplastic material deriving at least from said weft yarns. The deformation zone has a width (wdz) in the transverse direction (ystrip) of between 0.5-35 times the weft yarn diameter (?we). At least 90% of gaps between adjacent weft yarns in the deformation zone are closed by consolidated thermoplastic material at least from the weft yarns which has been melted together to form a continuous or substantially continuous reinforced band-shaped edge portion of said insect net strip. The insect net strip is suitable for use in accordion-style constructions in greenhouse ventilation openings. A method for producing the insect strips is also described.

A device for promoting plant seedling growth and increasing the germination rate of planted seeds provides for a growing medium, such as potting soil, to be introduced to the device and retained therein. The seeds can then be positioned within the device which is configured to prevent loss of the seeds (due to washout) and promote the germination rate of the seeds. Once the seedlings have achieved a requisite height and root structure, the device can be removed leaving behind a portion of the device forming a labeling tab.

A device for promoting plant seedling growth and increasing the germination rate of planted seeds provides for a growing medium, such as potting soil, to be introduced to the device and retained therein. The seeds can then be positioned within the device which is configured to prevent loss of the seeds (due to washout) and promote the germination rate of the seeds. Once the seedlings have achieved a requisite height and root structure, the device can be removed leaving behind a portion of the device forming a labeling tab.

A tree protection system including a flexible UV-stable first layer including a plurality of openings between about 5 mm and about 9 mm formed therein, the first layer configured to protectively surround at least a base of a tree, and a unitary fastener adapted to secure overlapping opposed portions of the first layer together during protectively surrounding the at least a base of a tree in response to application of a single force directed toward the opposed portions.