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My husband and I are planning to build a PVC plant stand for our growing cactus collection. We'll need shade cloth—any recommendations on the density? We live in northern PA, so we don't have Arizona sunshine to deal with, but at this time of year it still gets very harsh. The stand will be on a southeast facing deck with sun exposure most of the day.

Google Growers Solution and check out 70% Saddle Tan Shade Cloth. I have been using it this year and we have intense sun and temps. They do have a minimum charge. Or go to Lowes and get their tan shade cloth. I have been using the Lowes brand on one greenhouse for six years now and it is holding up very well. Growers Solution will have a sewed edge and eyelets, Lowes will not.

cactushobbyman wrote:Google Growers Solution and check out 70% Saddle Tan Shade Cloth. I have been using it this year and we have intense sun and temps. They do have a minimum charge. Or go to Lowes and get their tan shade cloth. I have been using the Lowes brand on one greenhouse for six years now and it is holding up very well. Growers Solution will have a sewed edge and eyelets, Lowes will not.

70% seems quite high for me for sun-loving species. I use 40% and I'm starting to feel this is still too much for even shade-tolerant species. Luckily we have our shade cloth on wire so we can adjust it.

Thank you both for the replies! I like the idea of tan cloth (the stand is white) but I can't find one in a lighter density. They seem to be 64-70%. I'm afraid that will be a bit too much shade, especially here in the north. I've just ordered a small piece of 30% to try. We're building the stand so we can adjust the cloth easily, too, which should help.

Zhanna wrote:Thank you both for the replies! I like the idea of tan cloth (the stand is white) but I can't find one in a lighter density. They seem to be 64-70%. I'm afraid that will be a bit too much shade, especially here in the north. I've just ordered a small piece of 30% to try. We're building the stand so we can adjust the cloth easily, too, which should help.

Make sure to post a picture when done! My wife built a stand for me, while I made sure to stay out of her way...

I've been using burlap (either old sacks or rolls) for my shade needs here in AZ. It works great and smells nice too. It might break down faster than a polymer based solution in wet climates, but it holds up surprisingly well here. I have found that the amount of sun it blocks can vary widely depending on batch (tighter or looser weave). If it is too loose, I'll double layer it.

Here is one of my stands. Bird netting on the sides, burlap on top and down the front. The front faces south and gets most of the light as a result.