Shade Cloth Questions

[desertlzbn]

Hey everyone, maybe you can help me out. Since I am in the desert, what percentage shade cloth should I buy? My tomatoes will be completely under it, except for a couple of hours of morning sun. I am planning on buying the Aluminet kind. I thought I should get the 70% blocking, but I am not sure if that is too much blocking. Maybe I should get the 50 or 65%? I hope any of you in TX or SoCal, or AZ can help me out before I spend 400 dollars on the wrong shade cloth!

[tessa]

hi sammie...
here in perth, i am in close to desert conditions. dry with temps frequently over 100. i have a shadehouse with 70% shade cloth. it was a TOTAL FAILURE. i would suggest 50%.

[oc tony]

I have a friend who lives in Las Vegas and he says the nurserymen recommend 40 per cent for tomatos

[Dewayne mater]

In Dallas, I use 50% shade (white cloth) and my Toms are south facing and under cloth entirely after about 10:30 a.m. It works fabulous for me.

[desertlzbn]

Now I am thinking that the 50% shade cloth is the way to go, but where is the best place to purchase?
I have looked at several places, and Gothicgreenhouses is the cheapest price, but maybe not the cheapest shipping.
Thanks!

[sfmathews]

DeWayne, do you have any pics of your setup? I would like to see how it looks, because I'm still thinking about trying shade here in Mesquite.
Thanks,
Susan

Originally Posted by Dewayne mater

In Dallas, I use 50% shade (white cloth) and my Toms are south facing and under cloth entirely after about 10:30 a.m. It works fabulous for me.

[Dewayne mater]

Susan: I have some from last year that I will look for when I'm at home. Set up is hardly the word for it though! All I did was use the very large, green cover coated rebar from H.D. (7 feet?) on the 4 corners and in the middle and zip tied the cloth to them in the eyelets. On the ends, I did stake the rebar to prevent sagging. I felt shade extended my season. I know it makes the plant temperatures lower because I have often stood under the cloth myself to inspect, pick, etc and the difference in shade and full sun feels like 10 or more degrees to the human body, though I haven't measured it with a thermometer.

[mmcd75]

I am also in Tucson. I went to Home Depot and bought a length of shade cloth that they sell by the yard right in the garden department. It has worked great for me.

[tessa]

i also have a triagular shade sail tied to a tree and two corners of my shed. i can walk freely underneath it. it takes out the midday sun, allowing the morning and late afternoon sun to enter directly.

[desertlzbn]

Well I found a place that has 50% White shade cloth 20x100 for $200 but the shipping is $99, but the total is the lowest I found. If anyone else has any ideas let me know.
Thanks so much!!!
Sammiek.

[rnewste]

desert,

I checked Amazon and one seller has a 12 ft. by 50 ft. Cooleroo 50% shade cover for $190. The key point is that shipping is only $4.95. How much of a section do you need? I need a 25 ft. length, so if you want the other 25 ft. let me know and we can split it.

Raybo

[desertlzbn]

Thanks Raybo, I need 20x100 ft for my greenhouse and to shade my beds. I won't be able to split it with you, but thanks for the offer.
I actually need 20x20 for the green house, then I will split up the rest for over my beds, and to build screening for over our west facing windows on the house. It gets sooo hot here in the summer.

[rnewste]

desert,

I know your town well. We bought a Company near Pima Community College several years ago, and I spent a lot of days at the Arizona Inn while conducting Due Diligence. VERY hot in the Summer!!

Raybo

[tessa]

coolaroo shade cloth here costs exactly $7.87/metre off the roll. the roll is 1.83 metres wide, which is 6' in the old money. the rolls also come in 12' widths...at exactly double the price.
i know this...because i actually sell the stuff. i work at bunnings, which is the australian knock-off of the home depot.
i would suggest you go to the home depot and check it out. you can buy entire rolls at a lower price. there are also cheaper manufacturers...'polyshade' for one. not sure what else you would have over on that side of the puddle.

[Dewayne mater]

One thing to consider is how durable is what you are buying? The SS cloth I bought 3 years ago has a tough edging material that has sewn in eyelets every 2 feet. This not only holds the cloth tegether well, it makes installation a snap. I'm at a point in life that I will chose more expensive it means easier, but then I have a VERY small back yard set up, so the relative costs are marginal for me and may be significant for the big scale growers on this site.