As summer temperatures soar, gardeners reach for shade cloth, Gardeners have long used woven mats, canvas and wooden lattice to protect plants from intense sunlight. Now, shade cloth is rated by the percent of sunlight it blocks. A 30 percent cloth allows most sunlight through, while heavier grades provide more protection. Commercial greenhouse growers often apply a temporary white paint-like coating to the greenhouse surface that washes it off as days cool. Shading is a balance, too much sun stresses plants, and too much shade slows growth. Sometimes less garden light really is more.
Growing Home - Shade Cloth
