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Benson, Vermont

Quick question; What percent shade cloth is recommended?

Thanks,Dan

6/10/2005 12:11:11 PM

Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )

I plan on using 30% this year

6/10/2005 1:40:04 PM

Topsfield, Ma.

I think shade cloth is important for me at least here in the North East. New growth burns terribly on our infreqent unpredictable hot days. What's a good source for shade cloth?
Duff

6/10/2005 9:39:52 PM

Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )

PumpkinSupply.com will has some arriving in a couple of weeks. 30%, 12 ft wide. sold in 10 ft increments. Pricing not yet set, but as always will be competitive.

6/10/2005 10:27:25 PM

Chico, Ca

www.greenfire.net...

I never run anything over 30%. it will stunt growth...

Greenfire can order it in widths up to I believe 32 ft (we run 26 ft wide),as long as you like with just one small seam down the middle. it does take two to three weeks for the order to go through as they are dealer and do not stock it in house. i think 20% is the light coverage available. it runs around $0.18 a sq ft for 30% black plus shipping.

They also sell some great clamps to attatch the cloth around the perimeter. we use 1/8" steel cable for our setup. There are picts of our setup in our 2003 growers diary here at BP.

I think it is funny to hear you noreasters talk about heat.
it gets 110F here in aug.. sometimes for several weeks straight.Then it cools down to 100f through mid sept.

6/11/2005 8:39:59 AM

Phoenix, AZ

I have used 60%.

6/11/2005 9:26:24 AM

Joliet, IL

i have had my 30 percent aluminet shade cloth up all week in 90 degree temps and the plants love it. i have a picture in my diary how i set it up with steel rope and pitched 4x4s. both 2003 and 2004 diaries have pics. good solid zip ties work just as good as grommets and are easier to just snip and remove when you need to take it back off. i zip tie the 2-50' x 26' wide sections together in the middle. you can leave each section secured on one side of the perimeter and keep it rolled up and ready to pull out and across when needed. just use a rope to keep it rolled up. then have 2 people, one on each side walk their corners to the middle on each side. then zip tie the seam of the 2 sheets of shade cloth in the middle. to get a nice tight seam with a tightly stretched cloth over the whole area to be covered, pull tightly in the center seam area and roll it up with the other shade cloth piece until both sides have good tension, and then zip tie around the rolled up seam. then finish zip tying the rest of the perimeter after stretching for good tension, rolling up the ends a little whil3 stretching, and then zip tying. to remove, just snip the center seam zip ties, and all the perimeter zip ties except the permanent attachments you leave on each side where your rolled up cloth sits waiting to be stretched out over the patch again when the hot temps come back out. it is also a good hail protector and saved me once already this year from hail. after each side is permanently attached and rolled up ready for use, it only take 10 minutes for 2 people to roll and stretch back out both sections, zip tie the center seam, and then zip tying the other perimeter sides. one person takes 20 minutes, or 10 if the tornado sirens are going off and you are in a mad rush to get it up for possible hail.

6/11/2005 2:47:31 PM

Benson, Vermont

Thanks for all your replies, you have all been very helpful. :-)

6/11/2005 5:37:36 PM

Topsfield, Ma.

I guess we really don't have a legitimate complaint as far as hot temps go here in the NE...compared to other areas of the country. What "burns" me is having the newer growth fry
when the sun is particularly strong. Those leaves never re-
cover and valuable energy production is lost for the season.
Seems once they get beyond paper plate size, they can then withstand the sun and heat. Just an observation. Best of luck all!

6/11/2005 7:41:51 PM

Chico, Ca

make a small frame out of pvc pipe 1x3ftx2ft tall and cover with 50% cloth using zip ties. this small frame can be staked or held down with rocks. just move it a foot or two every day or so as the grow tip moves. that way you will protect the delicate growth from sunburn.

6/12/2005 10:12:22 AM

Benson, Vermont

Hey, Great idea. That's one that I am going to try. Thanks!

6/12/2005 9:59:09 PM

Colo.Spgs.CO. Pikes Peak Chapter @ [email protected]

I use a fabric hail netting that only blocks 10% of the sunlight and is white in color and bounces the light around very well. It serves a dual purpose, and when it rains it breaks the drops down into a nice fine mist instead of a pounding rain, and also searves as somewhat of a protection against wind and freeze...Here is a link to the site where I get the stuff... http://www.pakunlimited.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=142&mode=thread(

6/13/2005 3:21:51 AM

Chico, Ca

Interesting site : pakunlimited. too bad they do not show pricing. site is slow if your have broadband. the edgeclips sold by www.greenfire.net or groworganic.com are superior to the one on that site. It is of interest that they have as low as 10% coverage material there. I can be hard to find that low a percentage.

when buying shade cloth unless you are mounting in a frame always make sure you get knitted and not woven...when the cloth gets wet it will sag quite a bit over long spans. be sure to engineer a strong system to attach the cloth to. we use 1/8" minimum cable. use through eyebolts at points attaching to poles and other structures. stay away from screw in type hardware as it is not as reliable under load.

We use 1/2 or 3/4" pvc pipe hoops in the middle of the covered area as needed to control sag as needed.this is important if you are going to hang 1/2" drip line for misters like we do.

6/13/2005 10:01:29 AM