How to put nets on fruit trees?

andajori

We have a lemon and mandarin tree that have started to fruit and we keep finding half eaten fruit on our lawn. 
We have an array of native wildlife (magpies, cockatoos, possums and I think fruit bats) that hang around our garden and are not sure which is the culprit/s. We decided to buy some netting to put over the trees which my husband put over them last weekend. 
My question is, is it okay to just put them over the trees without some type of structure to hold them off the branches? To me they looked too weighed down. 
If we need some type of structure, what is a simple, inexpensive way to do this?

Thanks for your help. 

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @andajori. It's brilliant to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about adding netting over fruit trees.
 

I can see the weight of the net has flipped several branches and leaves over so they are no longer facing upright. This will cause them not to receive as much sunlight, which is not optimal for plant growth. Also, the weighted branches will set in that shape, which isn't great either.

The most economical way to hold the netting of the plant would be to install three or four garden stakes around the plant set back from the canopy. Make sure you grab some stakes that are taller than your plant. Once the stakes are installed, you can drape the netting over them, holding it off the plants.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell