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Gardening in Oz

Shade house

21 years ago

Last October my children bought me a shade house for my birthday. The cloth on it I have just found out is 70%. Is this too heavy for growing things like orchids under it? It still gets quite hot in there in summer and we have a lot of sun here in Adeaide, I just wondered what someone is suppose to grow in a shade house with cloth density like this. Is it too dense for seedlings?

Shelley

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Comments (6)

User
21 years ago
I don't know about other orchids, but I'm pretty sure cybidium orchids will love that!
Cheers,
Dee.
Sparaxis
21 years ago
ferns, cyclamens, begonias, fuschias, heaps of other stuff would like this environment.
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Liatris
21 years ago
Shelley, my thoughts are that 70 per cent shade may well be too heavy for your orchids. I'm hoping one of our more technically-minded orchid growers will see your post.
shelleyvw
Original Author
21 years ago
Thanks to those who gave me some suggestions. Shelley
Robert_NSW
21 years ago
The strength of the shade on the shade cloth depends on the exposure that the shade house will get. If it is in full sun then 70% is no too much. If it only gets morning sun then maybe you need some weaker stuff on the walls. If it is getting afternoon sun then I feel 70% in South Australia is still fine. Remember you get very hot days in Summer and there could be a danger of sunburn.

So in short, it is a case of judging for yourself.
shelleyvw
Original Author
21 years ago
Hi Robert,

It gets sun for much of the day in summer and it is in a pretty warm part of the garden on the east side of my house. I did notice some seedlings of annuals got a bit leggy but perhaps I could move them outside after they come through a bit. Thanks for your input I will keep the 70% for now and experiment.

Shelley

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