Poor Man's Shade Paint

Cole_Robbie · May 14, 2017

I wish someone had shown me this years ago. As soon as the summer temperature begin to approach the 90 degree mark, I throw buckets of mud on the greenhouse plastic. It immediately drops the temperature inside and makes it a lot more comfortable for both my plants and myself. The mud must be re-applied after a heavy rain, but it is quick, easy, and free.

wildcat62 · May 14, 2017

Necessity is the mother of invention or so they say

Deborah · May 16, 2017

Great idea!

Rockporter · May 16, 2017

Yeah, you gotta figure out how to market that, lol. Awesome!

Deborah · May 16, 2017

I like all natural freebies. I tied up my Big Beef with a very long strand of my rabbits' hay!

BigVanVader · May 21, 2017

You know Cole I was thinking about this when I was spraying Surround WP in the coldframe. I bet it would work for shading too. It is used to reduce canopy temps and prevent sunscald so I think it would work. Just wanted to share that. I ordered shade cloth this year so I won't be trying it but figured someone might like to.

MissS · May 24, 2017

How do you get it up there? Is there an easy way? I am only 5'1" so I am a bit challenged...

Cole_Robbie · May 24, 2017

I use an empty planting container, dipped into the 5-gallon bucket. A coffee can would work, too.

aftermidnight · May 24, 2017

I've seen a slurry of flour and water for the same thing.

BigVanVader · May 24, 2017

Just to throw this out there I bought this https://www.amazon.com/Agfabric-12x2...ds=shade+cloth and it is of high quality and lowered my temps 15 degrees. I only need to shade one side of my mini tunnel so this worked perfectly. It comes with round clips to attach to the cloth that you can then tie with cord to your GH.

Cole_Robbie · May 31, 2017

I thought shade fabric looked cheap in my Hummert catalog. Those prices are mostly for unfinished material, without the edges taped and grommets installed. Tape and grommets are actually more than the shade cloth itself.

I just purchased two of the 12x18 Aluminet 45% panels from this link:
http://www.shadeclothstore.com/produ..._dept-172.html

$117, shipping and tax included.

I'm glad I ordered the finished panels. The confirmation email I just got said they ship immediately, but the unfinished material takes 3-4 weeks to ship.

BigVanVader · May 31, 2017

Very nice. I am going to need some more soon anyway. I think I'm going to cover my hoop trellis in shade cloth as well to make it a bit less stressful for the plants and me!

mikemansker · May 31, 2017

I worked at a local flower shop that had a greenhouse when I was in college (really 40 years ago?????) and we mixed lime into a water solution and sprayed on the glass with a trombone sprayer. It too had to be reapplied after a rain, but it seemed to do the trick.

May 16, 2017	#3
Deborah Riding The Crazy Train Again Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: San Marcos, California Posts: 2,562	Great idea! __________________ "The righteous one cares for the needs of his animal". Proverbs 12:10

May 16, 2017	#4
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	Yeah, you gotta figure out how to market that, lol. Awesome! __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~

May 16, 2017	#5
Deborah Riding The Crazy Train Again Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: San Marcos, California Posts: 2,562	I like all natural freebies. I tied up my Big Beef with a very long strand of my rabbits' hay! __________________ "The righteous one cares for the needs of his animal". Proverbs 12:10

May 24, 2017	#7
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,149	How do you get it up there? Is there an easy way? I am only 5'1" so I am a bit challenged... __________________ ~ Patti ~

May 14, 2017	#2
wildcat62 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: Zone 6 Northern Kentucky Posts: 1,094	Necessity is the mother of invention or so they say

May 21, 2017	#6
BigVanVader Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Greenville, South Carolina Posts: 3,099	You know Cole I was thinking about this when I was spraying Surround WP in the coldframe. I bet it would work for shading too. It is used to reduce canopy temps and prevent sunscald so I think it would work. Just wanted to share that. I ordered shade cloth this year so I won't be trying it but figured someone might like to.

May 24, 2017	#8
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I use an empty planting container, dipped into the 5-gallon bucket. A coffee can would work, too.

May 24, 2017	#9
aftermidnight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Vancouver Island B.C. Posts: 116	I've seen a slurry of flour and water for the same thing.

May 31, 2017	#11
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I thought shade fabric looked cheap in my Hummert catalog. Those prices are mostly for unfinished material, without the edges taped and grommets installed. Tape and grommets are actually more than the shade cloth itself. I just purchased two of the 12x18 Aluminet 45% panels from this link: http://www.shadeclothstore.com/produ..._dept-172.html $117, shipping and tax included. I'm glad I ordered the finished panels. The confirmation email I just got said they ship immediately, but the unfinished material takes 3-4 weeks to ship.

May 31, 2017	#13
mikemansker Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Branson MO Posts: 441	I worked at a local flower shop that had a greenhouse when I was in college (really 40 years ago?????) and we mixed lime into a water solution and sprayed on the glass with a trombone sprayer. It too had to be reapplied after a rain, but it seemed to do the trick.