I live in a less sunny/hot summer area than you, and I have my shade cloth covering my whole ceiling, but most of the sidewall area is not covered, and this seems to be the best compromise for keeping things manageable and still letting in enough light for those plants that need it.

Thank you Kudzo...This is not normal for our neck of the woods either... It is 90.7 right now in Wi... It is taking all my energy to take care of the gh and the gardens...lol

Thank you for your response... I read to keep a little open for any sun lovers but I bet you are right about the sides bringing the sun in...:)) I hope my succelents will like the 40 percent shade cloth cause now they will have to...lol

rosepedal: Why don't you put your plants outside for the summer? Is there a reason you keep them in the GH year round?

Barb, I think an awful lot depends on how intense the sun is in your own climate. I started out with 40% Aluminet on my entire roof and most of the south side, and have eventually added additional shadecloth to the roof during summer, and to the west side to filter the afternoon sun. But, that's my intense desert climate...very different from yours! Now I have two layers on my roof during summer, and I remove one of those during the winter.

I really should have started with a higher density here in the desert (my husband said so, but I assured him he was wrong.) However, it turned out OK, since I have found I can add more shadecloth pieces of varying densities to different parts of my greenhouse as I learn what my plants want. Like you, I like having different zones for the tough sunlovers and the wimpy shade guys.

I worried myself to death about what density to order, but once I found out I could make adjustments by adding or removing it here or there as the seasons change, it has taken some of the pressure off about making the PERFECT decision the first time out. The aluminet is so lightweight, it's not a struggle to work with. My greenhouse is supposed to be good therapy for me, so I have been happy to discover that shadecloth is not something I have to beat myself up over. As long as I'm alive and kicking I figure I'll be learning and making fiddly changes. ;-)

Thanks everybody! :) I feel better now... Greenhouser I do have some plants in the gh...Most are plants from florida or out west. They wouldnt take our rain we get...Especially the plumies and succelents they would rot outside :(....

Thanks Sherry you made me feel so much better..I never even thought about adding or decreasing..What a great idea! That is why I come here. I know you pros will figure it for me...Sure is great to see you all too....:)

I am doing what greenhouser2 mentioned, Moving the plants out. There really is no reason for them to stay inside during the warmer weather ( If the RAIN EVER STOPS)

Tominnh I hope that rain ends for you soon crazy weather...

I should have grown all plants that could take it outside too.... Live and learn...

I love also going in there too and seeing all the crazy things that can take the heat without the rain...Lovin it! :)) So much we built another one....

Rosepedal,

Don't you just love living in a "temperate" climate? Seasonal swings better than 100 degrees- Temperate. Right. LOL.

My GH is so well insulated and so much air moves with the big ceiling fans, I can usually keep it below 80 even on the hottest days and the 60% aluminet shade cloth certainly helps, but last August, when the temps hit near 100, I was getting a bit nervous and thought about the old fashoned whitewash I can't use on my polycarb, when I remembered what I'd seen once in so. Italy: white cloths being used for shade over kitchen gardens.

So I went scrounging at the local thrift shop and came home with a half dozen king sized, white flat sheets that I sewed together to make a single piece large enough to cover my 12 x 16; roof and down the sides a bit, particularly on the end facing SW. I installed grommets on the edges and used thin bungees to hold it down, but left it pretty loose, so the the roof vents could open under it.

It helped a lot and the temp. dropped several degrees. Then, eager to cool it down more, I sprayed it with cold water it and that really made a difference, although the sheeting dried pretty quickly.

I left that lightweight sheeting up for several weeks, wetting it several times a day in the hottest part of the afternoon until the worst of blistering heat spell passed and am glad to report that none of my fish in any of the tanks in the GH were par-boiled.

Anyway, it was a pretty cheap solution. I think I spent less than $10.00 on all those sheets. Sort of a pity on several of them though- 800 count cotton percale deserves better than to be tossed over a GH, but it worked.

The only time I would use shade mounted inside a greenhouse is for the ability to easily retract it when needed. Typically they are mounted outside a greenhouse, especially aluminum netting for this reason. Metallic coverings reflect light. Once the light has passed through the film the wavelength lengthens, and then a high percentage of it bounces off the metallic netting back toward the film or glass, where a lot of heat is then trapped by the greenhouse effect. You've essentially created a solar oven in that space between the cloth and the film. If the netting is outside of the greenhouse, a large percentage of the rays are simply reflected out into space. An added benefit of putting the cloth outside of the greenhouse is that the cloth protects your films against degradation by UV rays. I put on shade cloths May 1, and leave them on until I start crops in fall when I need maximum light levels on the benches. The shade cloths usually extend the life of my films by at least fifty percent.

I just love you guys...I never even thought about white sheets what a clever idea and save money too... Might look a little strange but what the hey..... White wash is a great idea too for people reading this thread... I am glad you were able to save your babies fish...

calliope thank you for teaching us the differences on the inside versus the outside... That is great info to share with all of us... Have a great weekend everyone...Barb

rosepedal: You must have missed my post on using a white sheet from Goodwill to cover my little HFGH for the past several years. :) I do use a regular silver-gray colored tarp for the Rion. Since no plants are on them for the summer the darkness in the Rion is no problem.

For added coolness can you remove a few side panels from your GH?

Hi Greenhouser I must have missed it....Thanks for the idea on removing the panels...I seen sherry made screens for her gh panels...I have been after Al to do it...Never enough time too many projects going on...lol I hope all is good in your gardens this year...How are the begonias doing? Barb

Hey everybody I posted this on another forum...I thought I would share here too if you dont mind...I am a proud newbie...lol Here are some of my plants inside the gh...:) Have a great day! I love my gh....

{{gwi:298867}}

Just installed a 40% shade cloth this year and it has made a HUGE difference in keeping the greenhouse from overheating. Mine is installed outside on a frame that extends out from the peak of the greenhouse. This way it shades both the greenhouse and my holding area where I keep a lot of things planted before they move out to the big bad world of the garden.
Since putting the cloth up, I have been able to maintain 80 in my greenhouse with only the 12" fan (there's a 14" fan if that one can't keep up and misting system if that can't keep up). We just had really high temps in the 90s for a week and the temp in the gh never got above 82.
Plus, it makes for a cool spot to hang out in after weedin' in the heat.

When I had a portable greenhouse I also used a white sheet, made a big difference keeping things from frying.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dirtbert's shade cloth

Thanks Dirtbert!

Nice to know especially you being in my zone...I took the liberties and looked at your photos...You have some gorgeus Iris and those boots are so neat how you planted them...I love your pot getto too..Nice to see another winter sower too...We cant grow everything in our gh's we dont have room...:) Love the frame for the shade cloth too that was smart! I cant wait to get hot weather now that it is up to see the difference..... Where did our hot weather go? Brr

Begonias, geraniums... everything is doing well this year - so far. :) The plants in your GH look nice and healthy. What is that pretty blue flower on the right?

Great Gh'er glad they are thriving...We have such a cold spring summer here...Plants dont know what to do...That is a plumbago another florida plant....