To keep poles from poking thru add solo cups or small seedling pots over them under the shade cloth.

Isn't it strange? Back when I was much younger, I had bumper crops and didn't use shade cloth. Now, for the past 5 years, I've been using it. We are nearly 5,000 ft in elevation; the sun is often intense. I cover everything with 40% and things grow 🎉 Leigh, you look very cute in your hats. Me, not so much 😅 I wear the ones from Costco - not so cute. But the hats are very functional and 100% cotton. I wouldn't go in public with them on 😅😅 I hope your shade cloth works for you!

Thanks for sharing! It is HOT!

Thanks for the review of the shade cloths and clips. I actually got the garden clips for less at Dollar Tree. $3.75 for 3 packs of 20 at Dollar Tree vs $9.98 for 1 pac of 60 on Amazon.

Your plants are thanking you!🎉🎉 I’ve been using shade cloth for probably 5 yrs like Gail. We go with 40% and I think 30% would work but I think it might be not as tuff maybe? We use it on the patio doubled up over 2” PVC pipe that holds it taut. I tried actual shade fabric for patios and had to return it as it was white and tightly woven and was so blinding and Hot compared to the netted garden black shade fabric-it was unbelievable difference. And that’s why I say the black color is cooler than white-others have differing opinions. The difference could be partially that the white was closely woven, but still way too bright and could feel sun burning my skin. I love having a big expanse to work under-it makes gardening enjoyable again in these extreme hot spells we get now. Last year we were over 100 degrees and that’s Hot for Z5a, WI. Our main dilemma is supporting it. I have pondered over this for quite awhile and the only thing I can think to do is fairly costly. I would like to create like clothesline poles at the ends with cable running and use either the plastic clips, but better metal shower clips to be able to easily open and close them. As we get older it’s not an easy job to get that stuff situated on the patio or garden. If I could do one or two rows in that fashion I think I would be good to go. What happens in a storm is the whole thing flops up and down forcefully and can wreck weaker poles. We have some 4x4” poles and T-posts that we attach to, but the T-posts are a bit shorter and then the fabric hits the tomato tops. That isn’t all bad as our tomatoes don’t produce that long in the season except the cherry tomatoes. I think I may have to try a prototype and install what I’ve been thinking because it sure is more enjoyable to work under. Plus I could just wrap the shade cloth rolled back under some Tyvek then and not have to store it. With all the different cloths and netting it takes up considerable room. I read even bug netting supplies a sun factor of 3. What not to use is any frost cloth especially draped down as it will fry the plants as it doesn’t breathe. I believe what is happening in that spot of your garden is the reflection off the white fence. We have a hot spot in a NE corner over by greenhouse that is a cooker. Good job but would like to say in a bad storm those tomato cages will be ripped up so don’t tie it to anything your tomatoes are using as they will be destroyed.

I'm in Texas so we definitely need higher. Thanks for the video.

Yes - it’s HOT! Good call with the shade cloth! I ordered some too. My tomatoes were planted on an North/South axis, so east blocks west and west blocks east. And luckily the sun only hits them around 10am. My peppers - in full sun - are doing okay. I planted them with a few dill plants, and the dill towers over the peppers. 😊. Everything else is scorching though, and I have to hit plants with a good watering every morning…my peas are toasted. 😭 Oh, and I had one more female black swallowtail hatch out this morning. I had nearly given up on that chrysalis! I was so excited because I thought she was my last hatchling, but a quick inspection of the cage turned up one more straggler. Hopefully the heat today will bring it out. Good luck today with the heat! Rest up during the day, and practice twilight gardening, a.k.a. mosquito food. 😂