would 70% aluminet shade be too much?

tarheelchick · June 14, 2017

I'm thinking of buying some aluminet shade cloth that I can use on both my tomato plants and use as a pet cover on my car when needed. I would prefer to buy the 70% as I know that works better for cooling the car interior. I take my dog to training sessions/outings that require him to be crated in the car for brief periods of time. (Full disclosure...the dog is constantly supervised and I am with him at all times.....don't worry.)

But, is 70% too much for using as a tarp over my tomato plants? I wouldn't be covering the sides, only above the top and only for say 4 hours or so a day during the hottest part of the day. I only have a few plants (in the ground) and it wouldn't be that hard to take the shade cloth on and off when needed.

We are beginning to have extremely hot and humid days and things won't be getting any better around here until fall.

Is 50% really the maximum that I should go with shading the plants? Around here the temps reach the mid 90's by noon and stay there until late afternoon or later.

b54red · June 14, 2017

You might want to use a narrow strip of shade cloth so that it doesn't cut out full sun for quite so long. If I were you I would try different amounts of shade for one half of your plants and that way you might be better prepared for what you want to do next season. Just a little too much shade on tomato plants will reduce their production and make them leggy and tall. I never cover my tomato plants but am using a frost cloth to shade one of my pepper beds to see if I can have less sun scald without getting plants too leggy. I don't know how much of the sun it cuts out but I would guess it is around 70% or possibly even more. I have it set up so it gives them shade for most of the hottest time of the day and I also have a bed of peppers with no cover so I can compare the differences that I observe in the growth and production of the peppers. By the end of the season I should be able to determine if less shade would be better or maybe they will do well under the shade provided.

Bill

Cole_Robbie · June 14, 2017

I think 70% is over-doing it, at least at your lattitude. I just bought the Aluminet 45%, and I am happy with it. My greenhouse is cooler than the outside, or at least feels that way under the shade cloth.

shadeclothstore.com had 12x18 panels on sale. I bought two. Total with shipping was $111. It comes with finished edges and grommets, and ships right away. If you order from that link, I would stay away from the custom-made pieces, because they say it takes 3-4 weeks to make them.

tarheelchick · June 14, 2017

I had a feeling that the replies would say that...lol. I think I'll just have to buy two separate pieces with different percentages in order to meet my purposes. I will try to keep good notes on the shading this year. I think I'm really hoping for more of the "cooling" effect than sun scald. The aluminet should help with that since it reflects the heat back off.

I'm going to order the 40% cloth to try.

McGee'sX-Roads · June 17, 2017

I have aluminet for my greenhouse tomatoes, we got it about 3 years ago and I can't remember the % that well...I want to say it was 45% but I can double check and let you know. I'm in NC too so would be similar conditions I guess depending on where in NC.

It's totally different being outside vs in a greenhouse, in my greenhouses the aluminet and fans help, but when its 95 out there isnt much you can do honestly. My growing season in the greenhouse is about to be over anyhow so it doesn't really matter, but when I've tried to have a fall crop and had plants growing in August in those houses the blooms would drop because I couldnt keep the temps down.

I'd think if you are only putting it on for 4 hours or so in the hottest part of the day the 70% wouldnt really matter that much, the plants are still going to get plenty of sun and daylight the rest of the day. We are getting 14+ hours of daylight right now.

Ricky Shaw · June 19, 2017

Nice that you can water thru it, I also use it as a reflective mulch in containers to reduce heat and cut evaporation.

June 14, 2017	#1
tarheelchick Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: NC Posts: 97	would 70% aluminet shade be too much? I'm thinking of buying some aluminet shade cloth that I can use on both my tomato plants and use as a pet cover on my car when needed. I would prefer to buy the 70% as I know that works better for cooling the car interior. I take my dog to training sessions/outings that require him to be crated in the car for brief periods of time. (Full disclosure...the dog is constantly supervised and I am with him at all times.....don't worry.) But, is 70% too much for using as a tarp over my tomato plants? I wouldn't be covering the sides, only above the top and only for say 4 hours or so a day during the hottest part of the day. I only have a few plants (in the ground) and it wouldn't be that hard to take the shade cloth on and off when needed. We are beginning to have extremely hot and humid days and things won't be getting any better around here until fall. Is 50% really the maximum that I should go with shading the plants? Around here the temps reach the mid 90's by noon and stay there until late afternoon or later.

June 14, 2017	#2
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	You might want to use a narrow strip of shade cloth so that it doesn't cut out full sun for quite so long. If I were you I would try different amounts of shade for one half of your plants and that way you might be better prepared for what you want to do next season. Just a little too much shade on tomato plants will reduce their production and make them leggy and tall. I never cover my tomato plants but am using a frost cloth to shade one of my pepper beds to see if I can have less sun scald without getting plants too leggy. I don't know how much of the sun it cuts out but I would guess it is around 70% or possibly even more. I have it set up so it gives them shade for most of the hottest time of the day and I also have a bed of peppers with no cover so I can compare the differences that I observe in the growth and production of the peppers. By the end of the season I should be able to determine if less shade would be better or maybe they will do well under the shade provided. Bill

June 14, 2017	#3
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I think 70% is over-doing it, at least at your lattitude. I just bought the Aluminet 45%, and I am happy with it. My greenhouse is cooler than the outside, or at least feels that way under the shade cloth. shadeclothstore.com had 12x18 panels on sale. I bought two. Total with shipping was $111. It comes with finished edges and grommets, and ships right away. If you order from that link, I would stay away from the custom-made pieces, because they say it takes 3-4 weeks to make them.

June 17, 2017	#5
McGee'sX-Roads Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: NC Posts: 21	I have aluminet for my greenhouse tomatoes, we got it about 3 years ago and I can't remember the % that well...I want to say it was 45% but I can double check and let you know. I'm in NC too so would be similar conditions I guess depending on where in NC. It's totally different being outside vs in a greenhouse, in my greenhouses the aluminet and fans help, but when its 95 out there isnt much you can do honestly. My growing season in the greenhouse is about to be over anyhow so it doesn't really matter, but when I've tried to have a fall crop and had plants growing in August in those houses the blooms would drop because I couldnt keep the temps down. I'd think if you are only putting it on for 4 hours or so in the hottest part of the day the 70% wouldnt really matter that much, the plants are still going to get plenty of sun and daylight the rest of the day. We are getting 14+ hours of daylight right now.