Shade Cloth

Hey, you, don’t go anywhere.  I’ve got a pretty shady tip for you.  A great way to grow shade-loving plants is in a northern exposure, under a dense growing tree or under shade cloth.  

Shade cloth is a thick fabric like material that allows different percentages of light or better still, shade to pass through. 

For instance, 64% shade cloth casts 64% shade or 36% sunlight permeates through.  For intense heat, you can get shade cloth to cast up to 95% shade. 

​There are lots of great plants that love this condition, including all ferns, Clyclaman, impatiens, Begonias, ground covers, and dozens of others. 

That means no matter where you live you probably can grow nearly any plant under this type of protection. 

Install shade cloth as you would a patio covering.  In fact, some shade cloth can last up to 30 years, so it’s a good investment. 

There is another reason to use a heavier shade cloth, and not just for the plants.  Another reason for gardening under the cloth is that melanoma is on the rise, you need all the protection you can.  Not only will your plants live longer – you just might too.  Happy shady gardening.