Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi,

I am finding that new seedlings are getting hammered by the sun on hot days in Perth so would like to rig up some temporary shade cloth over my system for the hot part of summer to give the seedlings and younger plants some protection.
I read on the forum somewhere that it is best to use 30% shade cloth white in colour.

I am having trouble finding 30% shade cloth . Went to B and the lowest they have is 50%. After having a bit of a look on- line I found a supplier in Brisbane doing 30% green shade cloth at $36 for 4 meters which isn't too bad I spose but then its another $30 to ship to WA.

Does anyone know a supplier in Perth doing 30% white shade cloth or am I just best using the 50% stuff from the big B ?

Any advice/help would be appreciated.

Cheers.

50 is fine.

Hi Paul

When I set up my greenhouse, I got all my supplies from a greenhouse/horticultural supplier
and in Victoria all the growers use 50% white shade cloth,

They didn't even sell 30% and they only use it at the height of summer.

I throw the 50% over my greenhouse for about 6-8 weeks per year and it works very well.

hope this helps

cheers Lou

agree - 50% white. There are various colours like red, yellow, green etc etc but they all do different things so generally, 50% white unless your in the outback where its cooking all the time, maybe 70% white

We have 90% here and things still grow, though a bit leggy in the winter..

I have 70 percent over my hoophouse and the greenhouse in the summer and all the plants are fine

Do you think it will work if i put it over my missus? she's not very leggy atm


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I was young and stupid once, i'm not so young now

Probably not for a few months... it's still summer...

Does anyone know if its ok to double up on layers of shadecloth and what the effect is?

I want to put 30% over the hoophouse I'm making and leave it on permanently to stop leaves from next door blowing in (and give some protection from winter NW winds).

I've been told 30% is too light for perth's summer though, so was wondering if I could stick another strip over the top of the hoop house during summer (to give more shade 10-2) -- would that then give me 60%?

Im using 30% and my summers make Perths look like a little girls dress. I also used some doubled over behind the house for one of Mrs Charlies gardens, it works well.

30% is quite stretchy though and it needs to be fixed well at each end, mine is starting to sag and slip around because of the way Ive attached it to the poly. I dont have the best design really.

Thanks Charlie - Think I'll go with the 30% then. How did you fix yours to the poly? I was thinking of running mine the other way round and attaching to pipe with water in it so that I can roll it up if need be - Will still need to attach to the top somehow though...

We do have the added benefit over conventional produce that there is always water on tap...

Just ordered some 50% white shade cloth that interestingly enough, has a nominal shading capacity of 30% - go figure ? Anyway, its stronger and less stretchy than the '30%' 30% shadelcoth so went for that

I just cut pieces of the poly to use as clamps. Works ok.

hey Charlie what size poly are you using for the shade support?

Great idea Charlie - good amount of adjust ability! SB - I think its 50mm rural, though not sure. I'll be ordering some 50mm rural pipe to build my hoop house in the next week or so. (50mm rural goes over star pickets easy - though 50mm metric doesn't)