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shade Considering a shade cloth

Roguejim

Roguejim

In southern Oregon, our summers are dry, and hot.  Temps climb into the 90s.  John Ford of Ford's Fiery Foods recommended shade cloth for my raised beds.  Locally, shade cloth comes in 60%.  Is this the correct percent, or should I order different shade cloth online?
 
i will say dont buy them yet just wait and see if the flowers drop then u buy some.
you may not need them
here the temps get over 100 and the plants still do good for the most part but we have humid summers not dry like u guys
so it is hard to tell whether u r going to need covers or not. John should know more than me about the need for shading ur plants  
 
I was laying out some weedblocker netting on the ground last fall to kill the grass off in the area where I am going to plant my garden and I think it would work great as a shade cloth. Cheap and strong. A 50' roll cost like 10 bucks.
 
I had some plants last season that lost most, if not all their flowers, and produced few, if any, pods.  I just need to know the correct % of sun block for my area.  I think I'll contact John again, and post his recommendation here.
 
Here's some quick info from ehow.com.  I don't know how reliable it is...
 
 

12-Percent Density



  • This light-density shade cloth is preferred for sun-loving vegetables like tomatoes and peppers. It provides some UV protection, but does not provide any wind reduction.


30-Percent Density



  • This moderate-density cloth is recommended for leafy vegetables, seedlings, lettuce, spring onions, beans and cauliflower. It can also provide some protection from the wind.


40-and-50 Percent Density



  • Although these densities may be used with vegetable plants in extremely sunny areas, or in portable frames that are erected only during the hottest part of the day, they are primarily beneficial for their wind-reduction properties. Shade cloths higher than 50-percent density are not generally used in vegetable gardens.



Read more: http://www.ehow.com/facts_6038179_density-would-allow-growth-vegetables_.html#ixzz2qoOCS17I

Well, that was quick.  Just in from John Ford:
 
"Yes 60% should work great in that hot southern oregon heat"
 
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