Shade Cloth - Advice Needed

RandiSharp

I'm getting ready to order shade cloth so that I can shield my maples from the hot summer southern sun. I've found two types of shade cloth, WOVEN and KNITTED - is one better than the other? They are both made from 100% UV stabilized polyethylene. The knitted is lock stitch construction that will not unravel. Is there an advantage with one or the other? What's the preferred coverage 30% cloth or 47% cloth or someting else?

The trees needing protection are maples - amur, red and green leaf japanese maple & tridents. For years the leaves have been cooked by the end of the summer and this year I want to try shade cloth. Placing them under a tree canopy doesn't seem to help much. The sun is way too intense during late July and during August. Also the white pines do better with shade during the 100+ degree days. Any suggestions and or guidance is greatly needed!

Thanks -
Randi

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Brent

What they should say about knitted shadecloth is that won't unravel VERY FAR. In general it is much more prone to damage than woven shadecloth. Knitted cloth often comes without tape or grommets. This is only suitable for areas that are completely bordered with a method of complete linear attachment such as wood with a batten or commercial metal channel with wire lock. You cannot have a loose edge flapping around. If it is taped, it is probably ok, but you don't often see it taped. Knitted cloth stretches a great deal.

Woven on the other hand does not stretch, does not unravel when damaged and will usually come taped, although it can be purchased without tape if you have battens or wire lock channels. In general, it makes a better 'tarp' than knitted that can be attached with grommets. I have used both and prefer woven.

In your area 30 to 50% would be acceptable for maples, certainly no more dense than 50%. I live in an area that is much hotter and drier than VA and 50% works just fine most deciduous trees. If you have natural shade in the afternoon, I would use 30% rather than 50%. The latter would be more suited for an open, all day sunny location.

Brent
EvergreenGardenworks.com
see our blog at http://BonsaiNurseryman.typepad.com

ekillians

Also, don't forget to try Protekt by Dyna-Gro. I have had great results with my maples. They burned before using protekt and had very little tip burn within a week or so of beginning application. They were exposed to hot ocean city, MD sun in the middle of the summer. Not like the sun out west, but still a definite measure to consider on your maples and the like this summer.

Also let me make it clear I do not rep dyna-gro. While i like thier products I find them, especially fertilizers extremely overpriced.

http://www.dyna-gro.com/

Dyna-gro says:

__________________
The great French Marshall Lyautey once asked his gardener to plant a tree. The gardener objected that the tree was slow growing and would not reach maturity for 100 years. The Marshall replied, 'In that case, there is no time to lose; plant it this afternoon!'
-- John F. Kennedy

mike_p

[QUOTE=ekillians]Also, don't forget to try Protekt by Dyna-Gro.

I agree with the Dyna-Gro recomendation. Several years ago, I did a test to determine the effectivness of Protekt.
I put 2 identical well developed Kingsville boxwoods in full sun. As you may know, Kingsvilles pefer shade to remain green. I treated one with Protekt and also watered normally. The other was watered the same as the treated Kingsville.
After a few months of sun, the treated Kingsville was still green, and the untreated one was yellowing.
I was impressed with the results of the experiment.

Mike

__________________
Learning the mechanics of bonsai is a matter of rote. Over and over again the processes are practiced until the hands and eyes know the moves.
Learning the art of bonsai may be more like water wearing away a stone, or climbing a mountain where the peak is always shrouded in fog and just out of reach.
Persist, and someday you may see the peak in sunshine. You may pick up the stone and it's a thing of beauty.

MP@BBB Studio

watchndsky

curious - where are you ordering from? can anyone recommend a source? - ive outgrown some of my areas and need to get some before summer sets in

BunjinEnt

I got mine here: http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/home-Wm

__________________
Life without Bonsai would be...well, death.

ekillians

Ebay or direct form Dyna-Gro. Ebay is cheaper usually but watch out for high shipping costs, otherwise vendor prices are comparable to Dyna-Gros within a few bucks. Feel free to check around tho.

__________________
The great French Marshall Lyautey once asked his gardener to plant a tree. The gardener objected that the tree was slow growing and would not reach maturity for 100 years. The Marshall replied, 'In that case, there is no time to lose; plant it this afternoon!'
-- John F. Kennedy

RandiSharp

While I haven't yet placed an order....Brent's comments "What they should say about knitted shadecloth is that won't unravel VERY FAR." are well taken and I'm planning to follow his advice and purchase woven. Several of the sites advertise that they will add a taped edge with brass grommets to the cloth for a price and they also sell plastic grommets. These were four of the sites I found googling 'shade cloth.'

Also thanks for the link to Dyna-Gro. While visiting the Nat'l Arboretum I asked what they fed the trees and while they use various mixes, Dyna-Gro was the only fertilizers they mentioned by name. I haven't found it locally (within 50 miles) but I did notice that they sell it off the Dyna-Gro site.

http://www.shadecloth.biz/
http://www.catalogclearance.com/depts/shadecloth.html
http://www.harpstarps.com/shadecloth.htm#
http://www.thenaturalhome.com/shadecloth.htm

Thanks again for the advice. I need to do start out protecting these trees from the start...having seen how the July/August sun cooked the amur leaves last summer to brown cripsy edges.

Thanks again for the help!
Randi

RandiSharp

Mike -

Regarding the Dyna-Gro Pro-tekt..did you foliar feed as well as water X-times a month with the Dyna-Gro mix? The reason I ask is because I am wondering if the silicon in the Protekt by Dyna-Gro might partially obstruct the stomata. But - with the majority of the stomata located on the under side of leaf and foliar feeding being typically applied on the upper leaf surface - maybe this isn't a problem. While I understand the concept..I'm wondering about the impact on developing leaves.

Do we have any botantis to weigh-in?

Randi