Shade Cloth Question........

30% shade cloth.......... Do I remove it in the early spring then replace when Kansas weather heats up?




OR



Leave it on, because it's doesn't make much difference.......

Depends on what you have growing in your Greenhouse,mine are all tropical plants so I leave mine always.

Thanks Tropicman for taking the time to post! I'm growing vegetables & annual flowers mostly........ I'm guessing location plays a role also (ie, your Tx location offers up considerably more heat than here in NE Kansas......)

New to GH growing & wasn't sure if 30% SC would be necessary for early spring in my locale...

I really don't think 30% will make that much difference,mine is 50% and I have flowers and fruit growing in mine.

I use 100% shade (white sign plastic panels) on my texas GH roof from about mid may til October, but no shade during the winter months, have enough trouble keeping a tree trimmed back, and I use supplemental light in winter from 2 to 7 pm as a fence shades my sidewall in the afternoon (with a tree next to it.)

I'd agree that if it is only 30% it won't make that much difference for the plants if you leave it on or remove it. It will allow the GH to warm up a bit faster if it is still cold outside.

We have found anything less than about 50% really doesn't offer much benefit as far as cooling the greenhouse. Also, if cooling is what you are looking for, make sure you put the shade on the outside of the greenhouse, and look for reflective shade like this, https://www.acfgreenhouses.com/aluminet-greenhouse-shade-cloth-14-wide.aspx, or at least a light color like white or beige which does not absorb much of the sun's heat.

I gave up and put a solid roof on my greenhouse, which is built of 2x4 frame with actual windows on 3 sides, and clear pvc waffle panels on upper parts, plywood for bottom couple of feet.

Hail got the clear pvc roof twice so I got the waffle panels from home depot that are solid, green for the middle to absorb some heat, white on the edges. color choices actually based on what HD had. on the interior I used a pale blue one inch styrofoam panel for a "drop ceiling" that would reflect light down into the greenhouse. It didn't work out badly. But I'm in Texas, there are only plants in the green house from first frost to last frost. A 100 gallon stock tank with plant tray filtration and fish stabilizes temperatures