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Joliet, IL

black, white, green or the reflective aluminet shade cloth
is available out there. just wondering if i plan to
tent a 30% shade cloth over my entire patch, which
color is best for atlantic giants?

anyone using a shadecloth out there please give any
advice on product type, set up procedures, number
of grommets, etc., color of shade cloth. also any problems
you have encountered with weather such as hail build up
on top or extreme winds. any tips or advice would
be very cool. also places of purchase online with best
deals.

thanks
jeff

1/20/2004 4:13:28 PM

Spokane, WA

I used a blue 8 x 10ft. tarp. Worked good enough for me.
However, I've been told that because the blue tarps let in a little light, it can actually intensify the sun causing a greenhouse effect.
I'm not positive, that's just what I heard somewhere.

1/20/2004 6:09:44 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

I only use orange tarps over my pumpkins. Never had tried covering the whole patch. I can see some kinda shade maybe if it's a super hot and sunny day. But what about the days you have a over cast? Also I thing you need to be able to have a lot of time on your hands to use a shade cover over your whole patch. Just my opinion.

1/20/2004 7:59:27 PM

Commack, NY

my shade fabric was black. i see in boily's photos that his appears to be greeen.

1/20/2004 9:31:40 PM

Brillion Wisconsin

I have used shade cloth only in the early part of the plants life. I usually remove the shade after the plant really starts to vine out(around 6-10 feet of vine length). I built some wooden frames around 3ft x 6ft and used a staple gun to attach the shade cloth. I supported the shade frame structure over the plants with 2x2 stakes pounded into the ground. When my plants start showing signs of heat stress(between 11 a.m-2 p.m) I covered them up with the shade cloth. The plant really perked up fast, along with a little misting. I used a shade cloth that was blueish-grey. It was a little on the pricey side.
This year I plan on building a few more shade structures and I'm going to try burlap material instead. Deano

1/20/2004 10:38:26 PM

Wood River, Nebraska

shazzy, I've got e-mails out to a number of suppliers, trying to find out just how durable some of the fabrics are. (including Aluminet) I'd like anything but black. I'd think it would raise patch temps. What ever it is it will have to handle wind well and should provide some hail protection. E-mail me if you find a good product, I'll do like-wise.
dave

1/20/2004 11:16:49 PM

Deer Park WA

We switched from blue tarps to silver for our "punkin Huts" as they reflect the light better and help keep the huts cooler.

1/20/2004 11:23:33 PM

Sydney, Australia

Jeff,
My shade cloth is green, and is doing a great job. Reducing sun sting, also keeping down wind dramatically. Also the plants are hail proof and I've barely seen an insect all year. Has saved me once from hail, so well worth the effort.

To put it up I tensioned fencing wire from 2 solid points, before using masbro clips to attach it. Also used masbro's to join pieces together, like stitching up a big open cut. Lucky it is very stretchable material. No complaints about it, apart from it being too low, its about 5 foot off the ground, or 3 foot off the leaves. I have it attached to my fences, which was convenient for stringing up the wire. Would be better if you could stand up straight underneath it. I'm getting 30 pounds a day under it now!
Good luck
Ben

1/20/2004 11:31:51 PM

Indiana

If I had to chose, I would select white myself. Doesnt alter the spectrum(much). And it reflects, reducing heat. Not sure if the heat the black or green absorbs is much effect. The spectrum thing is what I would be trying to copy.

Tom Beachy

1/21/2004 2:04:25 AM

Sydney, Australia

Still no complaints about the shadecloth as I had a 35 pound gain today! Hot day too at 100F. I would now have to call myself a man of the cloth......lol I agree with Tom, with the white colour, I had green as my only choice...Ben

1/21/2004 4:22:55 AM

Joliet, IL

thanks all for the posts. keep up the good work ben.
shazzy

1/21/2004 12:04:51 PM

[email protected]

Was this discussion about whole plant shade cloths such as Remay? Or are we talking fruit covers such as woven poly plastic tarps?

Confused

Steve

1/21/2004 2:04:54 PM

Montoursville, PA

The percentage of light reduction is the only fact we need to concern ourselves. The rest of the light goes through to the plants. It's up to you what color your circus tent may be.

In greenhouse use the nets are totally supported over the roof. Some concern may be rightfully considered for strength when used free flying as in a tarp covering.Danger of damage from high winds whipping and tossing the covering about may be an issue. If winds can whirley gig the vines to airborn with only leaves becoming the sail effect how well a covering like this needs shored up is no small matter to consider.

1/21/2004 2:59:48 PM

Utah

steve-
whole plant shade cloths... is my understanding...

doc-
i don't know about you but i hope there isn't a circus under my "tent". :)

shazzy-
tom is right - black absorbs ... white reflects... but if it is a high enough off the ground ... it doesn't make much difference. but the higher up you are the more you have to worry about how high in the sky the sun is, shade movement, and all that stuff. to keep them from flying away or tearing themselfs apart in a wind, i'd guess you need a grommet or attach point every foot around the perimeter and some additional ones in the middle.
I haven't set one up -but am preparing to try it on part of my patch this year. a southern lattitude (for pumpkins anyway- [Mr T noted]) and a high elevation have me thinking that I need one.

1/21/2004 3:20:08 PM

Oz

boily,,what was the weather like the day before and on the 35lb day? barrometer?,,,
clouds? total hours of sun?
what day/s old is it on the 35 lb day?,,,
and water amounts and times for the week of the gain.
sorry boily,,,,just nosey

1/21/2004 6:01:50 PM

Joliet, IL

steve,
i was asking about the entire patch shade cloth,
not the pumpkin shade itself.

after more research, i found that white only comes in
22% or 40% shade cover. i couldn't find any white 30 %.
there is green, black, and aluminet 30%. aluminet is a
reflective material used in tomato greenhouse growing
that reflects heat away from the plant but allows
more scattered light to reach the plants than black or
green. theory is that eventhough the aluminet mesh
only allows 70% of direct light through, some of the
shaded 30% is scattered downward off the mirror-like
netting. this sounds good but is more expensive.
the heat that black or green will absorb shouldn't be too
much a factor if it is 6 feet above the plant.
so like tom said about going with white for spectrum reasons
making more sense, wouldn't this also hold true for this
aluminet product? i would like to go 30% which whatever
color i get so it can still double as hail protection.
i am not sure if 22% white will allow the hail to slip through. anyone have any thoughts about the aluminet
shade cloth and does anyone out there know anyone
with greenhouses or in pumpkin growing that has tried
the aluminet shade cloth. i usually have many summer days
over 85 and usually 15 summer days on average in the 90's
and i am also in a restricted water area so misting is out.

1/21/2004 6:59:39 PM

Sydney, Australia

MCPUMPKIN,
Look up this link to see the weather on the 35 lb day, the 21st.
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDN65092/IDN65092.95753.shtml
It was a sunny day, with cloud coming in the afternoon. The gain was for day 26. Measured in the evening, had watered 3 days ago with the underground drip irrigation, 15 mins per zone.(3 zones)
Fruit is on the 600.5 Gregory and its a good grower, better than my 845 from last year but not as quick as the 1036 Perez. Has put on another 34 pounds today and is estimated at 345 pounds on day 27, ott is 255", gained average of 31.4 pounds over the last 5 days. Not bad! Ben

1/22/2004 5:42:27 AM

Utah

good luck Jeff !
... let us know how you end up setting it up and how it works out for you.

1/22/2004 9:26:45 AM