Shade Cloth?

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JCcares
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Shade Cloth?

Post by JCcares »

I am looking for shade and waterproofing my cacti seedlings.

I went on the web and got very confused so many many many different types of cloth material to choose from.

My plan is to build a small bench 18 inches wide 72 inches long (I do not have that many seedlings) and protect the seedlings from direct sunlight and rain.

Can some please help me to know which cloth which material the “percentage of defused” I should be looking for that is waterproof to keep the rain of them?

So so so many to choose from.

Thank you ahead of time for your willingness to help to share your knowledge of cacti with others.
My name is Joe I Live in Hickory NC USA four equal perfect seasons.
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jerrytheplater
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Re: Shade Cloth?

Post by jerrytheplater »

The shade cloth I know is not waterproof. You will need to get a transparent rain barrier. You can buy double wall polycarbonate sheets. This is used in greenhouses. You can use single thickness since you don't need it for the insulating value. Look for plastic distributors, greenhouse supply companies.

You can look for discarded glass windows, but that is a safety issue with the five kids you say you have. Plus hail could break them.

Shade cloth: look in gardening catalogs for spun bonded row covers. It will diffuse light and you can use multiple layers to get the shade you need.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
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mikethecactusguy
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Re: Shade Cloth?

Post by mikethecactusguy »

jerry's correct. Shade cloth is not water proof. For the past 2 yrs I've bought my shade cloth from the Greenhouse Mega Store. Its an online store. Good prices, large selection. 18" x 72" is a decent area to cover. You may consider buying a piece of corrugated fiberglass roofing from home depot. They come in green and white. They shade very well and are water proof.
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61rcJVFGSZL._AC_UL320_.jpg (15.18 KiB) Viewed 552 times
Mike The Cactus Guy
Enjoying the Spines
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JCcares
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Re: Shade Cloth?

Post by JCcares »

jerrytheplater wrote: Mon May 30, 2022 12:00 pm The shade cloth I know is not waterproof. You will need to get a transparent rain barrier. You can buy double wall polycarbonate sheets. This is used in greenhouses. You can use single thickness since you don't need it for the insulating value. Look for plastic distributors, greenhouse supply companies.

You can look for discarded glass windows, but that is a safety issue with the five kids you say you have. Plus hail could break them.

Shade cloth: look in gardening catalogs for spun bonded row covers. It will diffuse light and you can use multiple layers to get the shade you need.
Thank you Jerry. My wife is going to kill me spending so much on my new hobby 😂😂😂😂😂
My name is Joe I Live in Hickory NC USA four equal perfect seasons.
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JCcares
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Re: Shade Cloth?

Post by JCcares »

mikethecactusguy wrote: Mon May 30, 2022 2:10 pm jerry's correct. Shade cloth is not water proof. For the past 2 yrs I've bought my shade cloth from the Greenhouse Mega Store. Its an online store. Good prices, large selection. 18" x 72" is a decent area to cover. You may consider buying a piece of corrugated fiberglass roofing from home depot. They come in green and white. They shade very well and are water proof.
61rcJVFGSZL._AC_UL320_.jpg
Thank you Mike good idea.
My name is Joe I Live in Hickory NC USA four equal perfect seasons.
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Steve Johnson
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Re: Shade Cloth?

Post by Steve Johnson »

Talk about learning the hard way...

When I was a teenager in Glendale CA, my mother had a house with a garage, and the back patio of the garage was my place for growing cacti. The roof of the patio was green corrugated fiberglass, and I ended up with a bunch of cacti that looked all stretched out. Light levels were excellent, but I couldn't understand why this was happening. And I didn't know the word "etiolation", although I sure do now. Long story short -- cacti and succulents need the full light spectrum, so go with white and stay completely away from green.
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
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mikethecactusguy
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Re: Shade Cloth?

Post by mikethecactusguy »

Good point Steve..
Mike The Cactus Guy
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