Something I never counted on when we built the greenhouse, was using it in summer. Fall, winter, and spring, yes, but summer is just too hot. For example, the hottest day so far this month has been 91°F (33°C). This was the temp inside the greenhouse . . .
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| My max-min analog thermometer. The red pointer is the day's high. |
The solar attic fan helps, but it's still too hot to grow things. Plus, since the greenhouse is built off of my sewing room, the heat transfers through the windows and walls so that room gets really warm too. Which in turn, helps heat up the rest of the house. My idea was to cover the greenhouse with shade cloth.
It's graded at 90% shade and measures 12-feet by 20-feet. I got it on Amazon; here's the link for more info ⇾ QLOFEI 90% Shade Cloth.
We used cup hooks to secure the grommets, with the help of baling twine along the bottom edge.
How much difference has it made? The first day after we put it up, we got to 89°F, (32°C). But the greenhouse temp only got up to 83°F (28.3°C). That's about a 20°F difference thanks to the shade cloth. Obviously, I'm really glad we did this!
I also use shade cloth to cover my new transplants. They really stay happier the first few days until they establish their root systems.
9 comments:
One of the advantages of just using opening house windows on all the sides of my greenhouse is that it doesn't get as hot. We just leave all the windows wide open and it probably only gets maybe 10 degrees warmer than outside. Combined with my father north latitude, my mother-in-law uses it successfully during the summer for house plants and such when we no longer use it for garden plants.
What a great idea Leigh! Do have much wind there to the point that it blowing away might be a concern?
Ed, I was all for being able to open the windows, but Dan was just working with sashes and nixed the idea. I do have the jalousie windows and the fan, which help. The shade cloth makes the best difference though.
Being able to grow in summer is a blessing! Our summers are hot enough, however, that even the garden balks. :)
TB, thanks! Yes, wind is a concern, but hopefully we've anchored it well enough. I really don't want to have to go chase it down the road. Of course, if we get the remnants of a large hurricane, all bets are off for everybody.
That's a significant difference! Wowza.
LL, I know, and I'm so thankful. It seems to be making a difference inside my sewing room too.
Leigh, will plants grow under that much shade? I used shade cloth over my new starts like you do, but after a few days they want full sun. I use a shade clothe on my bedroom window as I have a 10 million outdoor candlepower nightlight the apartment complex mounted on an adjacent wall from my bedroom window. It helps considerably.
Kevin, I'd use full blown black out curtains!
Some things will grow under shade cloth. The only thing I have in the greenhouse at present is a volunteer cherry tomato as an experiment, just to see how well it will do. It may survive now that it isn't so hot in there.
Great idea. Doesn't the dark colour of the shade cloth absorb more heat?
Your inside greenhouse temp. is close to what we are experiencing outside right now..plus humidity, making it feel many degrees hotter.
Rosalea, you'd think so, but it definitely keeps things cooler than without the shade cloth. I believe it comes in other colors as well.
Humidity always adds to the heat! Just one of those things we have to put up with in summer.
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