Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Growing in Greenhouses & Polytunnels => Topic started by: Blackpool rocket on April 29, 2019, 11:56
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Hi all, is bubble wrap any good as greenhouse shading?
We have a very small unit 6 x 2 alloy frame polymer panels. It's very sturdy.
I would fix the wrap on the outside, not over the whole thing, just where it gets afternoon sun.
I have begonias in there which aren't too happy with the direct sun, the leaves are getting a bit scorched.
Br
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It tends to disintegrate quite quickly, unless it's the one actually made for greenhouses. I tend to use it only in winter for frost protection, as I find that any odd leftover bits of debris netting make better shading.
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Thanks mum,
The 2 pieces I'll use are only about 1200 x 500 (4' x 20" in old money) and 500 x 500
It only has to last a few weeks and is easily replaced, I use it in my workshop, so it's at hand & I don't have to go out hunting it down.
It was more about it's efficacy at creating shade and protecting the plants from the sun.
Br
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we use a green net shading possibly the same as they use on poly tunnels we find its protect against the UV rays even begonias seem protected as do most plants on the benches I have used white liquid shading but I found that to messy and cleaning of the glass was time consuming
I fixed green shading on the interior of one greenhouse and on the exterior of the second one now I always removed the shading before winter on the exterior and then replaced it back in spring but last year I left it on all winter I think we paid around Ģi.30 per- M' I found there was no difference using the shading on the interior or exterior the only downside was the exterior shading needs fixing down tight as I can blow of if its very windy
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Both last year and this year the hot spells we have had has caused issues in the greenhouse, indeed this year over the site it has been a real issue and although we are at the end of August I cannot remember seeing as many greenhouses empty!
I am now having a major re-think about the greenhouses, shading, irrigation etc to hopefully have a belting year despite what mother nature throws at us.
In the past I have used debris netting but temps still reached 40c+ so the plan...
Cut the debris netting in 2 feet widths to fit into each panel lengths and secure (between the frames) This will make it a little easier should we have plenty of dull days to increase light levels as each section can then be rolled up.
Take out one section of glass (two panels) on the shadey side, fit cross sections to the frame to maintain the frames rigidity and build a replacement panel that can be opened in sections as and when the temps increase to allow better airflow rather than louvre type vents.
After reading a paper on growing tomatoes and optimised watering by Ohio uni I am now altering the irrigation system/ watering regime with the use of a moisture meter so I am not over watering as may of been the case with the hot temps.
I hopefull these three improvements will maintain better cooler conditions for tommys to grow and produce better crops.