Shade fabric on temporary supports - your experience?

irma_stpete_10a

3 years ago

I would like to set up a portable shade protection for low plants using poly mesh shade cloth. Any tips or photos?

Featured Answer

mindshift

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

I put a shade cloth tarp up over my south-facing deck each summer and take it down in the fall. I would not be able to use this deck during the summer without this added shade. The straight-line winds from thunderstorms have never damaged or pulled the shade cloth loose, though it's only held in place with bungee cords. As long as your support posts are sturdy enough for the weight you shouldn't have a problem. Shade cloth varies in how much light it lets through with denser (shadier) cloth weighing more. Here is a SITE that explains more.

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Comments (8)

roselee z8b S.W. Texas
3 years ago
This post from several years ago might give you some ideas: Tent City

Later I bought some used and new beach umbrellas and used them. Easy to set up and then to store when not in use.
irma_stpete_10a thanked roselee z8b S.W. Texas
four (9B near 9A)
3 years ago
Horizontal orientation presents least area of exposure to wind.

Stakes to lessen contact with parts of plants whose upwards growth you do not want to be diverted.
irma_stpete_10a thanked four (9B near 9A)
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greenhearted, thanks for the comment, it was very considerate. I felt so bad for her and couldn't come up with a single worthwhile suggestion or think of a way to solve it. The photos I posted of her yard were after the transformation & I thought it looked good too, so good in fact I started mass planting many of my plants like she'd done in my ugly problem areas, planting all one kind in groupings like she'd done. I think the problem along with her too rich soil is the amount of rain they've had this year, everything is hugely overgrown, too tall or flopping. Barron was saying the same thing about Arkansas, too much rain. Here in central OKlahoma between those two areas of Kansas and Arkansas where I am relatively close by we are in drought and had a terribly dry summer, mine looks colorless and fried, not overgrown by any stretch. Go figure that one out. Heck even Texas got a lot of rain this summer. The worst effect my sister is dealing with since going prairie and removing the lawn is chiggers. I'd have never even thought of that happening. She said they are grossly thick and she can't get in to work without getting bit (although spraying and wearing long sleeves and pants does help but thats miserable in hot humid weather) or having them fly in her eyes. It sounded like the stuff of nightmares. On top of all that just like NHBabs was telling us, she has duscovered she is very allergic to grasses and breaks out whenever she's around them. What do you say to all that?
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sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
3 years ago
I use shadecloth from Lowes..Sunshade I think. You can buy it by the yard. You can also buy individual pieces packaged. You can get plastic grommets for them that you just push through around the edges which allow you to run a cord through and will keep the shadecloth from ripping over time or in high winds.

I sewed a few sections together to get it wide enough for my chicken runs to give them some shade in the summer.

I also used shadecloth when I lived in a desert climate for my tropical plants. I just steung it from the edge of the house and put in a few 2x4 posts with screw in eyes to attach the shade cloth. I also had some misters under it..but of course, we dont need those here in FL lol.
irma_stpete_10a thanked sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
four (9B near 9A)
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
> never damaged or pulled the shade cloth loose, though it's only held in place with bungee cords.

More accurately, "because it's...."
irma_stpete_10a thanked four (9B near 9A)
Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
@irma_stpete_10a, I made this "Easy Shade Cage" because it was pretty easy. (EDIT: This was not my idea or my design - I am not the poster in the link - but I thought it was fantastic! I "monkey-see, monkey-do"'d it. 😁) By making two sets of legs - one tall set and one short set, you can set this up for either a big or small plant. You don't have to have shade cloth, either. An old white bed sheet - reduced to whatever size you need - will work pretty well.

Easy Shade Cage

Carol in Jacksonville
irma_stpete_10a thanked Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
bea (zone 9a -Jax area)
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Shadecloth is a lifesaver for my orchids in the greenhouse. I use a 70% shade fastened on the roof for the summer months (when it’s in the nineties). We fastened one edge on a piece of PVC pipe and attached the opposite end on the roof's edge. All we have to do is unroll it across the roof by the PVC pipe and reroll it to the edge when the weather cools.

Carol that’s a great idea. I do the same when I transplant a plant. My cover looks just like the triangle in your “easy shade cage” but I use bamboo sticks. Been using it for years. Without it many plants wouldn’t have survived the FL summer transplant shock.
irma_stpete_10a thanked bea (zone 9a -Jax area)
jane__ny
3 years ago
Bea, I'm curious. Is your shade cloth attached to your roof? I need shade over my lanai for the orchids but can't figure out how to get up there to run it over the screening. I even asked a handy-man if he could go up on the roof and somehow, attach shade-cloth to the top of the lanai screen.

He looked at me like I was crazy!

I need shade cloth over my screened lanai for my orchids and can't figure out a way to cut back on the sun. My lanai faces South West. Hot as hell!

Jane
irma_stpete_10a thanked jane__ny

Shade fabric on temporary supports - your experience?

mindshift

Comments (8)

roselee z8b S.W. Texas

four (9B near 9A)

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sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)

four (9B near 9A)

Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)

bea (zone 9a -Jax area)

jane__ny

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