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kath · July 28, 2016

I use white 40% shade cloth here and there when I need it; sometimes to shade peppers or tomato plants to prevent sunscald, to grow lettuce, spinach and brassicas when it's too hot, etc. Last week I sowed carrots, lettuce and beets and laid the shade cloth directly on top of the soil before watering the beds thoroughly and got great germination in only a few days.

Guess we don't have serious winds often enough for it to be a concern here, because I just weigh the edges down with bricks or attach it to cages or hoops with clothespins. The width of mine is only 4'; not sure how large your arches are going to be.

July 28, 2016	#2
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	I use white 40% shade cloth here and there when I need it; sometimes to shade peppers or tomato plants to prevent sunscald, to grow lettuce, spinach and brassicas when it's too hot, etc. Last week I sowed carrots, lettuce and beets and laid the shade cloth directly on top of the soil before watering the beds thoroughly and got great germination in only a few days. Guess we don't have serious winds often enough for it to be a concern here, because I just weigh the edges down with bricks or attach it to cages or hoops with clothespins. The width of mine is only 4'; not sure how large your arches are going to be.