Incorporating shade cloth in your greenhouse is essential for managing temperature and protecting your plants. But greenhouse shade cloth isn’t a one-size-fits-all component.
In general, shade cloth helps reduce the amount of sunlight—and as a result, heat—that enters your greenhouse, making it an energy-efficient addition to your setup as well.
Shade cloth is available in knitted and woven varieties, and knitted shade cloth can be purchased in densities ranging from 30 percent to 90 percent, so it can be tailored to different plants, flowers and crops.
Densities refer to the amount of light that is blocked by the shade. So a 90 percent density, for example, blocks that amount of light, only allowing 10 percent to shine through.
Though the general guide for vegetables is 30 percent to 50 percent, it’s especially important to take into account your growing region and what you’re growing when selecting your shade cloth. A majority of growers use 50 percent to 60 percent shade cloth density, but those in southern states may opt for 70 percent to 80 percent density because of the heat. Yet, growers in the northern states may choose those higher densities if they are tending to light-sensitive plants.
Knitted shade cloth is suitable for greenhouse applications because the variety of densities makes it possible to customize it to your growing needs. But it’s also more durable than woven shade cloth, as it resists tearing, unraveling, wind damage and more.
Some shade cloth features reflective properties, which act as a mirror to reflect unwanted sunlight and heat. In cooler months, such shade cloth works to trap needed heat inside the greenhouse.
Whatever growing operation you have or whatever type of shade cloth you need, we can help outfit your greenhouse! Call us at Gothic Arch Greenhouses today at 1-800-531-4769 or visit www.GothicArchGreenhouses.com to learn more.