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Joliet, IL

i am going to try the shade cloth route this year over the
entire patch. after researching online and talking to
some reps this is the best info i can share from my
purchasing experiences over the last 3 weeks.

i bought 30% aluminet shade cloth from a company called green-tek. use a search engine to find the site, i lost
the address. then call them directly on the phone and they
will guide you to the greenhouse supply company closest to
you that carries the green tek product. you can pick it up
yourself or at least have less shipping charges. i am going
to secure it down similar to the design on the below site
except having a circus tent affect by having the middle
posts higher.

https://www.sundancesupply.com/ShadeStructure1.html

i will use earthanchors to secure 1/4" clear plastic
coated wire rope. the earthanchors have a spiral
end to twist in the ground. check your local
greenhouse supply company. the steel wire rope you can
find as either aircraft cable or webbrigging supply for
sailboats. then i will support the wire on 4" x 4" posts
placed 2' in the ground, 6' on the outside exposed posts
leading to 8' middle posts and 9' for the center posts. i
will use eye bolts on the top of each post to run the cable
through. a box of 100 plastic snap on grommets will hold
the perimeter cloth to the perimeter wire cables. order
those with the cloth. i bought the cloth in the 26' wide
sheets, and ordered 90' long to make 3 sections 26' by 30'.
it comes folded up in a box.

i am no expert and this will only be my third growing
season with a personal best of 487.5, but we get some
awefully hot days here in chicago area and i have a
watering restriction so misting is out. it should be
interesting to say the least. we also get a lot of wind too
so securing it down is critical. after getting hit hard
3 times last year by hail, it will also double as a hail
protector.

2/12/2004 7:24:48 PM

Joliet, IL

i figured on the aluminet due to its reflective quality for
it would be nice to set it up so it will be easy to remove
and put back over the patch at will. but who know when a
hail storm will hit and with my luck the day i take it off
is the day i get clobbered by hail. so i will put it up
probably a week after the hoop houses come down and leave
it up.

just thought i would pass on some info.
jeff

2/12/2004 7:26:07 PM

Joliet, IL

nice grammer on the second part. typing too fast.
there should be a period after quality and the "for" should
not be there. the reflective quality has nothing to do
with easy removal and that is the way it reads. dummy me.

2/12/2004 7:32:57 PM

Wisconsin

Several years ago, I tried to make a late season enclosure with a heavy poly tarp over an entire plant with open sides like in your diagragm. It was extremely difficult to overcome the wind even with pretty extensive anchoring. I learned my lesson very quickly and designed a different system.

I don't mean to sound negative but here is a guess. I bet you only try this once. Good luck though.

2/12/2004 8:33:19 PM

Wichita, KS

I don't live in a windy place, so your diagram might work for me, too. Difference is that we almost never get hail out here. My big problem is DRY heat, up to 110 degrees. I have been thinking about doing this in order o string up two things... an overhead misting system, and lights. I live so close to the bottom edge of the "Grand Slam Window" that I am very interested in using lights in the evening to extend the growth per day. Your design looks like the perfect trick to get this job done... Thanks!

2/13/2004 1:18:19 AM

mcminnville oregon

i scored a trampoleen top!!!! extra heavy duty!!! one mans trash is another mans treasure??

2/13/2004 2:32:03 AM