Anchoring

Untreated or treated?

The most common screw anchors used in orchards and vineyards are screw or propeller anchors. These anchors are easy to install. Often a Hydro auger is used for placement. The screw anchors are often placed untreated. The steel itself generates a layer of corrosion which seals the steel from further attack. Small fruit cultivation anchors are sometimes treated by means of galvanization. The thickness of the plate material from which the disc is made determines whether the galvanizing treatment takes place.

Disc size

The size of the disc of the screw anchor depends on the purpose. Soil types with a lot of sand and gravel require a Rambo or Torpedo anchor. Soil types with peat layers require a size disc. For hail nets in apple and pear orchards a minimum disc size of 300mm is used. The anchors go 1500mm into the ground. For foil covers, such as the Powerflex Foil System, a 400mm disc is required to have sufficient strength.

Anchor distance

Fruitsecurity Holland regularly tests the anchoring. On YouTube you can view the test results. Each test shows that the anchor distance must be large enough to provide the correct strength. In the case of hail nets and film enclosures, the distances are at least 2.5 metres. In the case of flat hail net systems or three-row systems at least 3 meters.