When looking after a greenhouse people tend to concentrate on heating or cooling, general maintenance and cleaning routine.
Whilst all of the above are very important, we don’t need to forget about one of the fundamentals required by plants – light.
The excess of light is as damaging as it’s deficiency. To control the amount of light penetrating through a greenhouse glazing you need some sort of a shading.
So, today I want to talk about different ways of shading a greenhouse and which one is the most suitable for you.
I am not going to walk around and will jump straight to the main topic. As you already guessed from the title of this article, there are 4 ways of shading a greenhouse.
What can I use for greenhouse shading?
To shade a greenhouse you can use a:
- shade paint
- shading blinds
- shade cloth
- shade netting
All of them are the great ways to shade a greenhouse, but, first, I would like to the start with the shade paint.
1. Greenhouse Shade Paint
Using shade paints is probably the quickest and very cost effective way of eliminating some of the sunlight.
There are a few different types of paints which you can use. For example, some paints come in sachets which you have to mix with water and then paint or spray on your greenhouse.
Why are greenhouses sometimes painted white?
Greenhouse with white surfaces will reflect sunlight rather than absorb it. That is why I really like the shade paint.
It becomes transparent when its raining and turns white again once it dries out. That way you don’t need to think about re-applying the paint.
Also, you can easily wipe it off with a duster. You can use a shade paint on different types of glazing like glass, polycarbonate or plastic.
These are some of the most popular and widely available shade paints on the market:
Vitax Summer Cloud Greenhouse Shading
Nixol Special Weather Sensitive Shading
I recommend to paint your greenhouse glazing in the late March and wipe it off in October to protect your plants from the damaging sun rays.
The only one concern I have with the using of shade paint is that it might get quite pricey.
If you are planning to use a greenhouse for more than 5 years you might need to buy a new paint every year.
It makes more sense to invest into something more permanent like blinds or a cloth.
2. Greenhouse Shading blinds
Shadings blinds is the second most popular option when searching for the greenhouse shading.
There are two types of shading blinds: external and internal blinds.
External greenhouse shading blinds
External blinds are fixed on the outside of the glazing and provide the maximum cooling effect in comparison to the internal blinds which are attached to the inside.
This is due to the preventing of sun rays from passing through the glazing panels. When you are using internal blinds the sun rays manage to pass through the glazing and heat the inside of the greenhouse.
That is why I strongly recommend to go for the external blinds if you decide to shade your greenhouse that way.
Now, lets look at the available options.
Greenhouse shading roller blinds
I found two very good shading blinds options available in the UK. The first one is Roller Shading Blinds by Eden.
It can be applied anywhere in the greenhouse with the suction cups. Another option is Robinsons Internal Roof Shading Blinds which are designed to fit one section of the 2ft wide glass pane.
However, when optimizing for the external shading blinds bear in mind that this is probably the most expensive option and these can interfere with vents.
That is why many people are considering internal blinds which can be easily installed and automated.
Don’t forget that shading blinds are guaranteed to last over the life of the greenhouse.
Don’t want to spend a lot of cash on shading blinds? Then I have an option for you too – a shade cloth!
3. Greenhouse Shade Cloth
If you have read my previous post on the greenhouse cooling, you know that shade cloth is my favorite type of shading.
I love it so much that I wrote a whole article about it. So, why am I using a shade cloth?
First, it is very cost effective. For less than 30 bucks you can get an awesome shade cloth which can last for up to 12 years with the proper cleaning routine.
Second, you can choose from a variety of shade clothes of different densities. You can use one which is specifically designed for the plants you are growing.
Third, it is easy to set up and is as easy to take it down when you need to let more sunlight in. Also, it is very easy to clean with some water and mild detergent.
Some people think that shade cloth and shade netting is the same thing but I prefer to separate them into two different categories.
4. Greenhouse Shade Netting
So, what is a shade netting? It is a very strong knitted monofilament polyethylene fabric with eyelets.
It is much stronger in comparison to the shade cloth. This is because it is specially designed to withstand strong winds.
Shade netting has proven to dramatically reduce the speed of the winds. That is why it is widely used not only in greenhouse shading but in fencing of the garden crops and plants.
Another most common application of the shade cloth is to protect the greenhouse structure from the snow load.
It usually comes into three shade percentages: 50%, 55% and 85%. Shade netting has a high level of UV stabilization and is guaranteed to last from 8 to 10 years.
Some gardeners are using old net curtains which they hang on the outside of the greenhouse glazing and hold it in place with a string.
Although it can be a very cheap shading option, this can obstruct the vents, especially the automatic ones.
To sum up, all of the above options are very effective in providing shade to your greenhouse.
Which one to choose depends on how long you are planning to use a greenhouse and how much you are willing to spend on shading.
I would give a try to a few of them to see what works for your greenhouse and then stick to the best option.
Also, don’t forget that with a proper cleaning routine and regular maintenance checks you can prolong the working ‘life’ of each of the shading option.
Have a wonderful day everyone 🙂
