Shade Cloth Questions
 

I don't think we've discussed this one....

I use shade cloth on my greenhouse. It is rated at 70% and rolls nicely up
and down but once it's up for the season I generally don't mess with it
until it's time to take it down. In the DC area I leave it up from about
mid-March through late October. I try to take it off gradually so not to
burn the plants (which I didn't do well last fall and a couple of plant got
scorch marks...but that's another story).

I'm thinking about replacing the fabric this year to drop the blocked light
to 50%. Additionally, I use black shade cloth now and see it's available in
green.

What % are other people using? Does the color make a difference to the
plants?

Good Growing,
Gene

Shade Cloth Questions
 

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
news:EvrFf.35380$DV2.18267@trnddc07...
I don't think we've discussed this one....

Now Gene, that sounded to me like an archive search challenge! Sorry,
couldn't help it. :-)
So here are the results of a groups.google search for
"rec.gardens.orchids black green shade" and "rec.gardens.orchids shade
cloth".
I wonder why for 3 years this topic has been discussed in October? After all
it would seem logical that by then this is not as burning an issue, at least
not in the northern hemisphere. You had mentioned that you keep your shade
cloth up until October.
Joanna

October 2005
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...a34a6f89a24fc3

October 2004
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...d3188533ac6da8

October 2003
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...34c97a949f06ea

May 2002
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...d7e533e01cf00f

April 2002
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...c278778b91db95

Shade Cloth Questions
 

Geesh.....why didn't I think of that. Oh...some of these go back to 2002, I
can't remember that far back!

Thanks Joanna!



"J Fortuna" wrote in message
news:FisFf.6343$xs4.2370@trnddc01...
"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
news:EvrFf.35380$DV2.18267@trnddc07...
I don't think we've discussed this one....

Now Gene, that sounded to me like an archive search challenge! Sorry,
couldn't help it. :-)
So here are the results of a groups.google search for
"rec.gardens.orchids black green shade" and "rec.gardens.orchids shade
cloth".
I wonder why for 3 years this topic has been discussed in October? After
all
it would seem logical that by then this is not as burning an issue, at
least
not in the northern hemisphere. You had mentioned that you keep your shade
cloth up until October.
Joanna

October 2005

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...a34a6f89a24fc3

October 2004

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...d3188533ac6da8

October 2003

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...34c97a949f06ea

May 2002

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...d7e533e01cf00f

April 2002

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...c278778b91db95

Shade Cloth Questions
 

Hi Gene,you say you scorched some of your plants after removing shade
cloth.Have you considered using paint on shading in conjunction with the
shade cloth.Paint on the shading in march ,put the shade cloth up when the
extra shade is needed .This also has the reverse effect in autumn,when the
shade cloth is no longer required in autumn the paint on shading is still
affective to give your plants time to acclimatize to the extra light without
scorching.The paint on shading will then gradually wash off with the rain or
you can wipe it off when full light is required.
I find this works a treat and had no scorching last year.
Cheers Keith
Sorry if I am telling you how to suck eggs!


wrote in message
news:fmuFf.10859$H43.807@trnddc08...
Geesh.....why didn't I think of that. Oh...some of these go back to 2002,
I
can't remember that far back!

Thanks Joanna!



"J Fortuna" wrote in message
news:FisFf.6343$xs4.2370@trnddc01...
"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
news:EvrFf.35380$DV2.18267@trnddc07...
I don't think we've discussed this one....

Now Gene, that sounded to me like an archive search challenge! Sorry,
couldn't help it. :-)
So here are the results of a groups.google search for
"rec.gardens.orchids black green shade" and "rec.gardens.orchids shade
cloth".
I wonder why for 3 years this topic has been discussed in October? After
all
it would seem logical that by then this is not as burning an issue, at
least
not in the northern hemisphere. You had mentioned that you keep your
shade
cloth up until October.
Joanna

October 2005

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...a34a6f89a24fc3

October 2004

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...d3188533ac6da8

October 2003

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...34c97a949f06ea

May 2002

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...d7e533e01cf00f

April 2002

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...c278778b91db95

Shade Cloth Questions
 

Hi everyone,
I'm trying to measure the foot candles in my shade house. I have 80%
shade cloth but when I measure the radiance its still about 7,000 fc.
Should I be reading the radiance of the illuminance? This is really
bugging me. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Eric

Shade Cloth Questions
 

Eric,

I have never given it much thought, but as radiance is the light intensity
emitted from the source, while illuminance is the light reaching the target,
I would think the latter would be more appropriate, but is it that
significant of a difference? In any case, there is simply no way you should
be seeing 7000 fc through an 80% shade cloth, as that would imply an
unshaded intensity of 35000 fc!

If I remember correctly, noon on a midsummer day will give about 10000 fc,
depending on your latitude, so through the 80% shade you'd be looking at no
more than 2000.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


"Eric" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi everyone,
I'm trying to measure the foot candles in my shade house. I have 80%
shade cloth but when I measure the radiance its still about 7,000 fc.
Should I be reading the radiance of the illuminance? This is really
bugging me. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Eric

Shade Cloth Questions
 

For sure! Of course, that's akin to how I confirmed that our first light
meter was worthless -- it failed to go off the scale [which only went to
3500 fc] on a sunny summer afternoon in Florida, when I took it outside the
shadehouse into full sun. Kenni

"Ray" wrote in message
...
Eric,

In any case, there is simply no way you should be seeing 7000 fc through
an 80% shade cloth, as that would imply an unshaded intensity of 35000 fc!

Shade Cloth Questions
 

Thanks for the advice. I too live in Florida and my light meter only
reads about 7,000 fc in full sun. I think I need to get a better
light meter.

Thanks again.