Daily gardening tip · Southern hemisphere · Tuesday 15 September 2026 · early spring
Choosing the Right Shade Cloth Density
As spring warms up, you might wonder how to protect your tender salad greens from the harsh summer sun ahead.
10 minuteseasyheat protection
Locate the percentage rating printed on the shade cloth packaging.
Select a cloth rated between 30% and 50% for your leafy green vegetables.
Avoid cloths rated 70% or higher, which are designed for shade structures and block too much light for plants.
Measure your garden beds to calculate how many meters of cloth you will need.
Purchase the cloth now so you can drape it over support hoops before the first extreme heatwave arrives.
Why it works
The percentage rating on a shade cloth tells you how much sunlight the fabric blocks. Leafy greens need some light to grow but suffer in intense heat. A 30% to 50% cloth filters out the harshest burning rays while still letting in enough light for healthy growth, preventing your plants from turning bitter and running to seed.
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