AusBonsai

Hey guys,

Now that we are coming into the warmer months I am thinking of putting some shade cloth up to protect my bonsai and other plants in general within the garden. Does anyone know what type of shade cloth is best used, ie. 50% white etc etc.. there are so many different colours, thicknesses etc,

is there anyone with any information out there in the ausbonsai garden??

G,day Hutch I use 25% doe skin cloured shade cloth in the summer months here. About mid December I put it up and by the end of March I usually take it down. It protects all my tree's. Have done since we moved here 15 years ago. Works for me it slows the strong hot east wind we get in Summer. Also it keeps the small ones safe.

cheers Pup

Hi Hutch,

Shade cloth is great...but a bit expensive, here in the states. Here is a great way to produce shade cloth at a fraction of the price. Sorry for the link but don't have the time to recreate the same post.

SHADE CLOTH

Is it advisable to use shade cloth on sun loving species such as pines? Or are they able to handle the really hot heat.
What trees are you covering Hutch
Mick

My evergreens such as cypress etc all got burned last year in february.some Hinokis never recovered. This year i will make sure they are protected.

I have used 50% white on an enclosed shade house for many years and everything is doing well, pines and natives included. There is no problem with leggy growth and the plants are protected not only from sun but it modifies the drop size on heavy downpours (we should be so lucky in a drought!), protects from hail and snow (but lets the melt water through). It even keeps the bigger birds at bay (the little ones can catch bugs without damage to trees).

I'm considering trying 50% in sand color next time, should be much the same as white for light color but a bit easier on the eye than the stark white.

Jan

Having the cold climate hornbeams in our summer heat I have tried and researched many options. I find 50% shade cloth that can be put up or removed fairly easily is the best option for me.
It seems that if you don't have the shade cloth up in early spring it will harden the trees up some. I put mine up a bit earlier than Pup but I grow more sensitive trees.
I have waited until the temps reach 35 deg and then I put it up. The funny thing is many countries growing these trees would think 35 deg at the top of the heat range they grow in!
We are just on the tail end of a few 33 deg days and I was unsure whether I should wait. We have at least a week of temps in the 20s after this so I decided to nurse them through. I have a couple of sunburnt leaves which seem to be from a branch that moved exposing a tender leaf underneath but not genera leaf burn I hope.
It may get over 30 here today but there are possible showers later in the day. But next sign of the sun coming out in strength I will have the shade cloth up. I am going to experiment with putting a shade sail further out from the bench just to help keep the temperature down at the bench this season as well.

I had heaps of trouble getting 50% shade cloth but Bunnings ended up getting in a roll for me after they stuffed me around. There was some debate about colour but that seems little concern get the colour that looks the best for you.
The shade cloth needs to be a certain height above the trees to work properly. Plenty of consideration needs to be given to ventilation without burning winds.
Another great trick is to have plenty of leafy plants growing under and around the bench as these transpire a great deal and keep the temperature down.

I did a quick search for the pool screen that Tom suggests and get that it is used to make pool enclosures not sure if they generally sell it at the hardware but I will look into that. It looks like a great idea for the pool if nothing else.

I don't use it because I have a protected yard and my next door neighbour's crepe myrtle cuts the afternoon sun about 3 pm. But here the going rate seems to be 50% and I would definitely go for cream. Tho local recommendations are for olives, junipers and pines to be in full sun all day I can't fault the growth my trees are getting with morning/early afternoon sun and mid afternoon shade.

As well as 50% shade cloth on the roof and walls I use bamboo (you buy it in rolls strung on wire for decorative fencing - mine was a cast off from a friend's garden) to sheild the shadehouse from the searing south-westerly and westerly winds of summer. It works for me,

Jan

50% shade clothe is fine, Don't forget to put up wind protection as well. Hot dry winds will desiccate delicate leaves as well as remove vital humidity

I wimped out Bretts and brought my hornbeams in under the shade house, the forecast is for cold next week, they'll go back out then.

Paul

Great replies everyone, some very useful information there. I will ask around a few shops as I am definately putting some up.. last year in Melbourne we had a week of about 45 degrees plus which some of my plants are still recovering from.

I think the trick will be in designing a way to put the shade cloth up so it is pleasing to the eye.. I have seen some terrible ways people have put it is up and if you ask me it detracts from the trees/plants beauty,

any suggestion?

Might help if we can see your growing/display area Hutch!

I probably should have done the same thing pmp. But although the Japanese hornbeam has a few burnt leaves I am very happy that it stayed vibrant under those conditions it is a testament to it's heath. I think it must have been sun stripes like in a lathe house as there are specific patches of certain leaves that look like actual sunburn not leaf edge scorching that happens when it can't keep the water up to the leaves.
I was thinking 33 should be the new bench mark for putting the shade cloth up.

Hi all,
Just about to get some shade cloth myself and was wondering if 70% was too shady?
I can only find 70% unfortunately and need some for this week as it's gonna be a stinker.
Should I buy the 70% or wait till I can find the 50%?
Also, is 30% worthwhile for our purposes?
Cheers

Guess you want what you cant have. Id love some real sun....

JayC

I'm with pup on this. Light shade seems better than heavy shade. I got the lightest I could buy, 25 or 30% - they don't sell it in the stores so I had to buy a roll from the wholesaler but it has all gone now after several tries to get it right and the reject pieces have been used in other projects.
I leave it as long as posible to put it up, usually late dec or Jan depending on the heat and comes off again as soon as the real heat has gone in March. Some years it doesn't even go up at all. - whats that quote 'That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger'?
My shade covers a bit over half of the growing area. Most of the deciduous trees in bonsai pots and plants in smaller plastic pots that dry out quickly are in the shaded part but pines and most trees on larger growing on poly boxes do not need the shade and get full sun all day all summer. Mind you, although we get plenty of days above 40C, full sun here is not the same as full sun in some other parts of Aus so everyone needs to take into account local conditions as well as species.
Does anyone else use humidity trays for their smaller bonsai pots? It works for me.
I have made some trays from roof decking - the stuff about 400mm wide. Turned up the ends to make two water holding trays about 50mm deep. These are filled with gravel and the pots sit on the gravel. When the trees are watered the trays fill with water but the pots sit just above water level on the gravel. During the day the water held in the gravel filled trays evaporates and cools and humidifies the air around the trees - result: less dead small bonsai over summer. For just a few trees use the black plastic trays that usually go under plastic pots as trays. the 30cm diameter ones are a good size.