Shade Cloth

Hi all! I am new to using shade cloth, can someone help me with wich plants should be protected and what percentage of shade cloth should be used? The only shade cloth i have access to is 75%, that seems a bit dark to me but again ive never used it before either. Too dark may be better than burnt plants is the way im looking at the situation. Any advice would be fantastic! Thank you to anyone that may be of help, Jake

I only use shade cloth on my greenhouse and only to protect orchids. Our Bonsai can take full sun.

You don't need shade cloth for bonsai in southern Ohio. For the few trees that are susceptible to sunburn, put them out in the sun very slowly in the spring, & use Dyna Gro Pro-TeKt. You can get this from the hydroponics store.
Iris

Iris, How often do you use Pro-Tekt?

Some trees dont appreciate full sun all day. My Kingsville Boxwoods, Japanese maples, and American Beech seem to prefer some morning sun then dappled shade from about midday on. My house is situated such that I can put those trees against the house and they get what they need. You could use lattice overhead and that would provide about 50% sun, and it would be kept moving. That is to say that the sun would be full strength over a small area but it would continually move over the trees as the sun's position in the sky moved throughout the day. To stretch that option, you could use slats out of lath or 1x2 for example, and tailor it to your benches. Just a thought.

Thanks lordy, I dont think most people realize how many trees i have. I have close to 400 trees now and about every species you can think of including tropicals. I found out that at the hotest part of summer my trident maples, jap maples, mimosas, fukien teas, boxwoods, bald cypress, azaleas, and a few others did not like the hot midday sun. Hence the reason for looking into shade cloth. I know its a temperate climate here but from late june to early september it can get scorching hot here, not to mention the humidity is horible! In mid march this year we had a two week period that was almost 90 degrees and many of my trees didnt have time to get used to the sun like they normally do in spring and many burnt, i cant have that happening so ive got to know what to do and be ready for things of that nature when they occur. My orange bonsai burnt, many fukien teas, ficus, bougainvillea, trident maples, jap maples, and several more this year already and its not even the hot season yet. See my tropicals are all under floresant lights in the winter because they wont survive here and it makes the leaves very soft but i use them because i found out floresant lights accually make your plants healthier and grow faster and stronger and better. In winter my tropicals dont rest at all, they grow just as if the weather never changed. But in spring when they go out for the season for fresh rain and air and sun is when i have to be carefull. Thanks to everyone who responded but unfortunately my question remains unanswered about the 75% shade cloth. I just didnt know if maybe anyone has or had a nursery and is familar with shade cloth? Thanks again! Jake

jake4bonsai wrote:I have close to 400 trees now...

400 trees ! Didn't you just start this a year or so ago? How are you ever going to keep up with watering, trimming, repotting, winter protection...

Sorry, I don't have anything to say about shade cloth...just amazed at the number of trees! Good luck with the shading...

You have a point. Are you planning to open a commercial nursery? I have seen pictures of bonsai nurseries in various countries, with shade cloth over some of the benches.
I also grow my tropicals under fluorescent lights in the winter. But I don't even have 40 trees. The ones that are susceptible to sunburn I put outdoors in full shade at first and gradually into as much sun as they tolerate.
I think 75% shade cloth might be too dark. Try 35%.
Frank, I try to use Pro-TeKt about once a month. The bottle says to use it with every watering, but I don't think that's necessary. I don't know about any other species, but buttonwoods don't like it.
Iris

I have some experience with shade cloth and generally 50% will do ya.
-Jay

We use 40 % for the sun loving plants in the nursery, it just breaks the midday sun, but still keeps the plants harden. And 60 - 80% for the shade lovers.
White shadecloth is the best...plants love the white light. Sun- loving orchids for instance thrive under white shadecloth.
But for me the glare under is like the big bang

I am going to try to answer everyone in one message. I did just start just over a year ago but i am very lucky to have the resources and the teachers i have to teach me what i cant learn from a book or the internet or dvds. I have to say though the internet is a very very good bonsai learning resource if your a person who knows how to use it to the fullest and are able to weed out the bull crapers and the bad information thats out there but i have a full proof system ive came up with for that. And yes i do sell plants, everything from landscape trees, to seedlings and cutting to nursery stock, pre bonsai and bonsai. Also different bonsai soils, fertilizers and what ever else customers may need or desire. Ive recently built 2 green houses that i utilize to thier maximum potential. I am seeing people using shade cloth everything from 40% to 80% depending on species. I learn fast so it wont take me long. Forums are also one of the best resources for learning too. Ive met several people from forums and looks like in a couple days i may be meeting another from on here but i wont name names. Lol. Thanks everyone again! Jake

P.s our club has Bjorn Bjornholm coming this month for an all day workshop and there still a few spots left open! Its on the 20th, if anyones interested just message me privately.

I too am in need of shade for some of my shade loving trees. Im going to try 60% cloth and see how it goes. Im concerned about my maples, beech, and zelkovas. Ill let you know how it works out.

Wow. Good luck with your venture, Jake.  I'd really like to see some pics of your trees.

I am not kean on shadecloths, as they give shade.....Full sun will keep the internotes short...it is full shade on on pot, and not on the crown that makes the diffrence, this will keep the trees healthy and dark green.

Also on acers and beech and ulmus is full sun on the crown the best.
I found my acers ( and I have many) is compleetely healthy in the leafes, if they are in full sun, and normal wind...strong wind inbetween is not a problem...What is a problem, is, if I regular mistspray in the evening...this will give brown tips on the leaves after few days.

This is Denmark, and I know other countries are much warmer, with much more sun, and a very light shadecloth can be needed, but still is it the full shade on the pot that keep the tree healthy....and mistspray? I would not dare to do it....I have been there....I keep both acers and ulmus quit dry.

Kind regards Yvonne  

How may hours of daylight do you have in Denmark this time of year (today is the solstice -- longest )?

Hi Jim

I guess we dont have this much sun here, as you have....but what is the issue in my reply, is the fact that direct sun on the pot ruin/cook the roots here in Denmark.  and mistspray give the acers brown ruined leafs too.

If you have a lot of really hot sun were you live, a not dense shadenet, and extra shadeprotection of the pots, would be a good idea, mistspray no...only regular watering.

Kind regards Yvonne

Jim, depending on where Yvonne lives, she may have up to 20 hours "daylight". Even here, on a slightly more southerly latitude, we currently only have  anything approaching proper darkness between about 10pm and 3.30am.  When I was on holiday in Orkney last summer (just after the longest day) you could sit outdoors reading with no additional light until near enough midnight and again after about 2.30am.  Sunrise and sunset became pretty meaningless.   

FYI,
Micheal Hagedorn discuss's shade cloth in the "comments" section of his most recent post "Bizzare Weather and Bonsia" on his blog which you can find here:
http://crataegus.com

Cheers Graham

Hi Graham

It was interesting reading about the problems in Japan, many thanks....What I am talking about is normal weather, and happy trees you really can work with, because they are very cared for, and therefore strong.

Kind regards Yvonne

Hi Yvonne, A little off the topic of this thread….
Normal weather..........hhhhmmmmm what’s that these days?  As Michael pointed out (and he’s 100’s of km’s south of my location –Portland Oregon) our springs are changing – I call them “sprinters”, the calendar says spring but winters still shows her force…and our summers have moved from late July-August to August-early Sept.
I’ve just spent two days looking at long term research trials on conifers and the results thus far are telling us that the families (seed orchard - for genetic gain) from south of our 49th parallel (about 200km south of Canada) may perform much better than our local families over the next 50-80 years (timber harvesting cycle) based on projected climate change? 


 
Graham

gman wrote:Hi Yvonne, A little off the topic of this thread….
Normal weather..........hhhhmmmmm what’s that these days?  As Michael pointed out (and he’s 100’s of km’s south of my location –Portland Oregon) our springs are changing – I call them “sprinters”, the calendar says spring but winters still shows her force…and our summers have moved from late July-August to August-early Sept.
I’ve just spent two days looking at long term research trials on conifers and the results thus far are telling us that the families (seed orchard - for genetic gain) from south of our 49th parallel (about 200km south of Canada) may perform much better than our local families over the next 50-80 years (timber harvesting cycle) based on projected climate change? 


 
Graham

hhhmmmmm

JimLewis wrote:How may hours of daylight do you have in Denmark this time of year (today is the solstice -- longest )?

21/6/2013: 17 hours and 21 minutes.

... Since you asked :-)

BR

On the 50th here in Campbell River BC - 16hours 22mins............no wonder the trees are growing like crazy