Shade cloth is an essential gardening item used to shield plants from extreme sunlight. It also enhances ventilation and diffusion for the crops. An essential factor of consideration when purchasing a shade cloth is its color. Various plants respond to growth factors depending on how dark or light-colored the cover over them is.
The fabric material is also an important feature to look out for. Many types of materials are used in making shade clothes; some are heavy while others are light. The density you pick should be influenced by the type of crops in your garden and the amount of light or darkness required for optimum growth.
Growing your plants under a shade cloth has many benefits. Among them is the reduction of sunburn on leaves and other parts of the crop, an occurrence that can interfere with their growth. Another benefit is the pleasant external appearance that your plant derives from growing in regulated heat and sunlight. Plants reared under a cloth are recorded to have more nodes, be taller and grow larger leaves than a similar species that grew in open gardens. These effects, however, can only be seen in crops that are adaptive to shade.
When Can I Use Cloth Shade in My Garden?
Plants undergo several stages before they are deemed mature enough for consumption or other usages. You may be wondering when the right time to introduce the shade cloth is. You need not worry because issuing that information to you is the main motive of this context.
Different types of plants require a shade at a particular growth stage. While some grow well when kept under the shade cloth from when planted, others are better off covered during sprouting or the following stages.
Vegetables and fruits grow best under the shade cloth. Therefore, it is highly recommended for use from the beginning of the plant’s life to the time of harvesting.
If you didn’t use a shade cloth from the beginning, you can incorporate it at any stage of the plant’s growth and do the necessary adjustments. Shade-friendly plants include ferns, palms, orchids, and many other types of flowers.
Where to Use Shade Cloth
There are no restrictions on where to use shade cloth in your garden. As long as the chosen spot is well prepared and habitable to plant growth, you can go on and construct a shade cloth over it.
In areas where the weather is scorching, a cloth shade would come in handy in the gardens. It is also helpful in dry gardens where there’s a scarce water supply. With a shade above the gardening space, moisture remains locked in the soil as the evaporation rate is minimized.
If you are a seasoned farmer with a greenhouse, you should consider placing a shade cloth over it. In addition to the other factors incorporated to offer the plants the maximum growth conditions, covering the greenhouse top creates a cooler interior. This practice is much needed in hot summers where a lot of money would otherwise be channelled to servicing the greenhouse’s cooling system.
Shade cloths come in different colors, sizes, and densities. Their usage is inclined towards the growth requirements, meaning that you may be required to buy one with specific or customized features depending on the crops in your gardens. It is a recommendable option to protect your plants and cut down on the cost of cooler installation in your greenhouse during the hot weather seasons.
