Shade Cloth

[hendi_alex]

Last year in early July we placed 50% shade cloth over about half the raised bed vegetable garden. Most of the vegetables grew very much stronger by avoiding the heat of the afternoon sun. This year the shaded area was doubled, but we opted for 40% shade which is more appropriate for vegetables. For the first time some tomato plants have been placed in this shaded area. The tomatoes generally are growing far better than their counterparts which are growing in the direct sun. Most of those have already shriveled, having died from the wide array of summer diseases while those in the shade are still lush and green. I've found that disease in tomatoes is most related to high temperatures of July and August. It seems that the several degree temperature drop under the shade cloth is making a real difference in not only avoiding heat stress but in decreasing disease susceptibility of tomatoes as well.

[lakngulf]

Excellent idea. I hope to do something similar over my pier garden. It gets HOT in July. Do you have a picture?

[imafan26]

The shade cloth does a couple of things. I provides shade but it also helps to increase humidity. Here we don't really need greenhouses as much as we need shade houses. The walls are made of a breatheable fabric mest to keep out insects but will still let air in if there is at least a 10mph wind. The roof can be shade cloth or phylon. Phylon comes clear or opaque and it is mostly to keep the rain out. I have a makeshift shade cloth over my orchid benches. When It rains I put a piece of plexiglass over it to keep out the rain. I use 47% shadecloth and if I need more shade I double it.

I have my tomatoes in pots, but I have a lot of pots and so while the tomato tops are always in the sun, the pots are shaded by other plants and pots are grouped together to keep the roots cool and it helps to keep the pots from drying out too fast. I have 18 gallon pots so that helps too. Even in summer I usually only have to water once a day. I use the bag from the potting soil and turn the white side up and cut a circle to fit in the top of the pot. It helps to keep moisture in and keeps weeds down in the pots.

[hendi_alex]

Our space is pretty large at about 28 x 38 feet. The current arrangement isn't very attractive but a fairly tall living screen blocks the view of the garden from the house.

[hendi_alex]

[jal_ut]

Interesting. Not for me. Here in dry Northern Utah I grow in full sunshine. We seldom get summer rain, so the water comes
from an irrigation system. The garden gets watered once a week via a sprinkler system.

[Gary350]

Shade is very helpful if you live in a location that is hot during the summer. I have always planted my tomatoes in full sun but this year the trees are taller and shading the garden. Half my garden gets full sun all morning until 5 pm while the west side of the garden gets full sun only until 12 noon then shade the rest of the day. I am very surprised to learn the tomatoes that get lots of shade during the hottest part of the day are doing better than the tomatoes that get 11 hours of sun. In the past I learned to crowd my tomatoes so they shade each other this prevents sun burn tomatoes in July and Aug in 107 degree weather. TN is often very cloudy with lots of rain that stops about the last week of June. But this year we have had rain and thunderstorms almost every day. July and Aug here r usually 105 to 109 degrees with no rain at all for the whole month of July and first 2 weeks of Aug. My tomatoes are doing better than ever, the tomatoes in the shade are doing the best. It is logical plants are like people you stand in full sun all day you get hot, sweaty, dehydrated, maybe plants dehydrate in full sun too. My shade tomatoes are big and fat I'm not sure that is from shade or rain. My tomato plants that get 11 hours of full sun are only 5 feet tall, the tomato plants that get shade all afternoon until dark are 7 feet tall. The plants in the shade are making the most tomatoes and largest tomatoes. That is crazy I would never have guessed that.

[imafan26]

Its true when you live in a northern climate even if it gets hot the sun's intensity is not as great as it is the closer you get to the equator. Nearer the poles you have longer days, we get more intensity.

Shading helps especially July-September which are the hottest months of the year. That is why it is the best time to solarize.

[jal_ut]

The Sun, that is where plants get their energy. Without the sun they can do nothing. Put those plants in the Sun
If plants are grown indoors or a green house it is well to adjust them to full sun conditions by putting them out in late afternoon for a couple of hours then increase the time each day.

[hendi_alex]

There is such a thing as too much sun, especially for container grown plants. But in this dry sandy soil, even in the ground plants show severe signs of stress during the afternoon sun. IMO the best arrangement here in the sandy midlands would be full sun in the morning and 40% shade cloth in the afternoon. That gives plenty of sun for production plus gives adequate protection from the brutal afternoon heat.

[Gary350]

Your right hot sun can be too much for some plants. I bet sun in South Carolina is not much different than Tennessee or Arizona. AZ has no clouds but TN often has days with no clouds and days with 90% clouds. July and August are our hottest months usually 100 to 109 degrees. My bell pepper look good before lunch but 3pm the leaves hang down like rags the plants all look dead. That must be the plants way of exposing itself to less sun, at sun down the leaves come back to life. My tomato plants do the same thing. If I put shade over the plants it stops the wilding of the leaves but plants production pretty much stops in 105 degree temperatures. Sept when temperatures are cooler bell peppers take off in high gear plants will grow taller and bell peppers get larger and plants will be loaded with 25 to 30 bell peppers until frost kills them about Nov 1st. My tomatoes pretty much stop producing too in hot weather but this year the rain and cloudy weather just will not stop it is over cast after lunch just about every day plus the west end of my garden is in full shade from trees and the shadiest part of the garden is doing the best.

When I lived in Arizona I learned something very interesting about cactus. Cactus can live is the worse conditions possible, 115 degrees, blistering hot sun all day all summer with no rain and winter blizzard conditions, snow, ice, wind, 25 degree weather. But if you plant a cactus where it gets cool morning sun only and full shade after 12 noon, a little water and a little fertilizer cactus will grow 12" taller per month but under normal conditions it takes cactus 10 years to grow 12" taller. Even though cactus can deal with the hot sun it does much better if it is not in the hot sun. Cactus in the shade turns very green, cactus in full sun is a bleached out light color green sometimes yellow green.

It is interesting the national weather forecast never matches the local weather forecast. Local forecast for TN today is, 91 degrees, cloudy, afternoon showers. National forecast for today 102, sunny, no rain. LOL. 8 am it is 78 degrees and cloudy. Cloudy at the moment is 10% clouds. Clouds may move it about 4 pm if it rains.

[Susan W]

I put shade cloth (40%) on the mini 5 x 6 greenhouse in May. Took of the plastic cover, covered with the cloth. Covers top, most of south and west sides. The plant starts are much happier with a break from sun! The seedlings in peat pellet trays stay in there on lower shelves, do fine. They do come in if there's a heavy rain and can drown!

I'm working on a shelf system for the large starts in an area with moistly shade. One in shadier than other). I had a mish-mash of table and shelves, now refining it.

The five tomato plants in large containers are all in places with some break from full all day sun. After the first rush of a few tomatoes, they may all be resting as the heat gets more serious into upper 90's.