Shade cloth ?'s

dustin0352 · Post by **dustin0352** » Fri Aug 06, 2010 9:26 pm

Ok all you GH experts I have some shade cloth questions. It seems it is way too HOT and to BRIGHT in my GH. I have lost several plants within the past month with my ghetto rigged shade cloth, which only covers about 1/4 of the GH.

The question is.... The company I purchased the GH from has a shade cloth kit custom tailored to my GH, but is 60%. I know 60% will surley cool down the temps, but will it block out too much light??? My GH is in STRONG DIRECT sun from 8am-7pm. I was thinking of just getting a roll of 40% and trying to tailor it to my needs.

What would you do????

Thanks all!

Post by **CoronaCactus** » Fri Aug 06, 2010 10:40 pm

For you in FL, I think 60% would be OK for most succulents, most seedlings and shady cacti, but 40 or 50 would be best.
I'd go 40% and add pieces where needed if it's too much for some plants.

My shadehouse at home uses 40% and the plants that tend to go red/purple definitely do!
ie. Frailea, Peniocereus, Cochemiea poselgeri, some Parodia/Notos... I'd rather it this way than too little light. Much easier to shade than to add light

http://www.shadeclothstore.com has good prices and great service. Much better than greenhousemegastore and you get it much faster too.

Harriet · Post by **Harriet** » Fri Aug 06, 2010 11:11 pm

I'm not even close to expert, but since I live in the same general area as you, I thought I'd share...I have been using the shade cloth that came with my GH since the weather warmed up and the days got longer. (I had it off in the winter.) Seems to work well, the plants like it, even though I have no idea what the percentage on the shade cloth is! (Since it was a kit, I'd guess 50 - 60%)

dustin0352 · Post by **dustin0352** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 10:32 am

Thanks for another awsome link Darryl! Harriet I only wish my gh came with it lol, I do believe I'm going to go with a 50% and see how that works. I must say when I was unemployed for 7 months it sure was alot easier to track sun/shade movement in the GH

Now I leave when its dark and get home when it dark, leaving me with only 1 day off a week to tend to the unemployment size collection LOL

Harriet · Post by **Harriet** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 10:46 am

All that work must be why we haven't heard much from you lately. You have been my most reliable Florida cactus connection and I miss your comments.

Peterthecactusguy · Post by **Peterthecactusguy** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 10:14 pm

dustin0352 wrote: Now I leave when its dark and get home when it dark, leaving me with only 1 day off a week to tend to the unemployment size collection LOL

Dustin, once I get a job I have a feeling that my collection will be the same size as the day before my next job. I get lots of freebie cacti from all over the place and I have a feeling the I won't have as much time to rescue downed cacti...

dustin0352 · Post by **dustin0352** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 10:27 am

Thanks Harriet for the kind words. I am trying to find more time for the forums, and me collection. I'm waking up a hour earlier now, and goind to bed an hour later lol. When I ordered 200 2 inch pots from Darryl for me seedlings I had no idea I would use em all

Now just watering the 200 + seedlings takes a long long time. Not to mention the rest of me adult plants. Only if my nephew lived closer I'd put him to work

cruaux · Post by **cruaux** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 7:36 pm

Darryl, that's an awesome link. You just saved me some money

Post by **CoronaCactus** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 8:01 pm

Mr working man

Great that you found a job, sucks it takes up all your free time. Better than no job though!

Glad the link was helpfull. I stumbled across it when GHmegastore wasn't able to ship my order for 6 weeks! The shadecloth store had it to me in 5 days!