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Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.

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Old July 29, 2016   #16
Ricky Shaw
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Charley, your conditions are much worse than mine, but the future of home gardening along the front range is going to look a lot like what you have there.
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Old July 31, 2016   #17
Dewayne mater
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I've used 50% block for years. The perception of heat to me when it is sunny is vastly cooler with it than without it. I assume plants experience that too. Additionally, it means the ground and surrounding areas (one of my beds is next to a brick wall that will get very hot without SSC and stay hot for hours) don't get as hot, so it cools better at night. Vastly improved plant health and even occasional fruit set in near 100 degree temps with SSC, plants I can't keep alive without SSC. An essential tool for me in the DFW area.
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Old July 31, 2016   #18
Gardadore
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I use both shade cloth or a good quality mosquito netting, and finally tulle bought at Walmart for shade. I use them when I set out the tomato and eggplants in the spring to help them acclimate to the sun and often heat. (This year we dealt with colder nights, however. I buy the shade cloth in bulk and cut it. The mosquito netting and tulle are used also to create small tents to keep insects and other pests off the plants. Since I have fencing everywhere I attach them using wooden clothes pins and they hold fine. They are easy to remove when the time comes or to reinstall when a heat wave strikes and I want to keep the tomatoes from sunburn. Can't live without the clothes pins for everything!
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Old July 31, 2016   #19
Shapshftr
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I have been wanting to get a shadecloth setup for a few years now. Just haven't had the time to invest in it. But I did a lot of research on what is the right percentage of sun/shade for tomatoes and couldn't get an exact number. Some said 70/30, some said 60/40. 50% was said to be too much shade, but I would think that is more relative to your location. In the more southern latitudes I think 50/50 may be warranted.

Also, all of the literature I read said that red shade cloth is best for tomatoes. Green is second best. Plants need light in the red color spectrum to do photsynthesis. Some LED grow lights use red, orange and blue light. Varying colors are used in grow lights, but red is the main color. So when I do invest in some shadecloth, I plan to get red cloth and probably get 60/40 (40% shade).
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Old July 31, 2016   #20
My Foot Smells
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Wouldn't it stand to reason that shade cloth degrades over time? 40 percent for how long. I like the red idea too, maybe paint a white razorback, sooooiee.
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Old July 31, 2016   #21
Shapshftr
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It's made out of plastic threads that are UV resistant so it should last many years, they say.
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