An example of a light-color shade cloth.

Drip irrigation puts water at the root of the plants.

An example of a light-color shade cloth.

Drip irrigation puts water at the root of the plants.

We have had a very hot summer and are anticipating a few more hot weeks ahead. This article will focus on suggestions for protecting your plants from the intense sun and possibly dropping the air and soil temperature around your plants.

With the excessive heat this summer, many gardeners have turned to shade cloth to protect their crops and tender plants. Shade cloth is an open-weave synthetic fabric that allows somewhat reduced amounts of air, light and water to pass through. Shade cloth is often used by commercial plant nurseries to cover greenhouses during the heat of the summer or to create shade houses for shade-loving plants.

Shade cloth may have advantages over other fabrics; for example, cotton sheets can become heavy when wet, and there is no way to know how much light it blocks out. On the other hand, shade cloth is available in 30%, 60% and 80% light reduction, with 60% being most commonly available at garden centers and big box stores. It is usually 6 feet wide and sold by the linear foot, and sometimes comes in premeasured lengths of 50 or 100 feet. Of course, many other sizes are available online but may require a minimum purchase that may be more than most home gardeners need.

Before buying shade cloth it is important to ask what you want it to do: reduce light or reduce heat? They are not the same! Shading for light intensity is different than shading for cooling. Black shade cloth provides the darkest shade but absorbs more of the sun’s heat, meaning there is less cooling effect, and unless the plants are shade-loving they may become spindly and leggy as they grow toward the light. Light-colored shade cloth allows the same percentage of light to pass through but is more reflective so the light inside the structure bounces around more, making the light more usable to plants. The reflective nature of light-colored shade cloth means it absorbs less heat and provides a slightly cooler environment. Many people automatically reach for black, brown or dark green shade cloth to get the darkest shade, incorrectly assuming they will also get the best cooling effect.

If you have already purchased dark shade cloth — no worries. The difference between the two is only a few degrees. By raising the fabric cover several feet above the leaf canopy and leaving one side open (the side away from direct sunlight) you will allow more reflected light to enter the structure and better ventilation to help vent the heat.

It is also very important to water in the morning when high temperatures are predicted, and the best way to water is with drip irrigation tubing that puts water at the roots of the plants. Another trick is to use the “magic of mulch,” which will help keep the soil moist with the added benefit of reducing the number of weeds. These help so the water does not evaporate as fast. This mulch can be as easy as putting grass clippings on top of the soil around each plant in a garden. For flower beds it can be bark chips, wood chips or other mulches available at box stores or nurseries.

Watering with misters or micro emitters for five to 10 minutes two to three times a day during the hottest part of the day can also lower the heat inside the structure by another 10 degrees for at least 30 to 60 minutes. Drive by the orchards and vineyards in our Valley and you can see overhead watering or misters that are used for crop protection. Some people report using less water inside shade cloth structures, as much as 65% less water, so be sure to adjust your irrigation as needed.

Last, but not least, be sure to take care of yourself and your pets. With the likelihood of continuing hot weather expected this month, it’s important for you and your pets to stay hydrated by drinking water or other liquids frequently.

Also, it’s best to avoid working outside during the heat of the day — so start early and stop before you become overheated. At the very least, take frequent rest breaks in a shady spot.

We usually have many cool nights during August, so maybe wait until just before sundown to work in the refreshing cool of the evening. Either way, you will avoid the possibility of getting overheated, sunburned and cranky.

We want our gardens to be fun, rewarding and productive, so we encourage “working smarter, not harder.”

As always, if you have any gardening questions feel free to contact our Master Gardener clinic at WSU Extension.

Gardening problems? The public is encouraged to visit the Master Gardener diagnostic clinic in Union Gap, Mondays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. Contact us at 509-574-1604 or email gardener@yakima.wa.us. For better identification, bring a sample of the damaged plant in a sealed zip-close bag.

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