Shade cloth vs window screen

[banthony720]

Looking for ideas/remedies/tricks to partialy protect some 1-3 gallon size archontophoenix from sun. Central Florida full sun i have no canopy whatsoever. Does regular window screen do any good? I'm not looking to do an entire greenhouse type set up. More like a redneck ghetto screen that I can move around if need be. I have some ideas just curious what others have used.

I know they are small for full sun but I'm going for it anyway.  Got 2 of each cunninghamiana, puperia, & tukari, as of right now. Going to get some Alexanders this weekend which are easier for me to find to find a little bigger. If I can find some maxima I might try those too. Planting a bunch of stuff. Different subject but I'm thinking about that water bill... Good news there I do have a reclaimed water sprinkler system that I obviously plan to use any tips on that would be appreciated as well. 

First year/time planting palms I've got a few other things too. We will see out it goes.

[Tyrone]

Ive used shade cloth held in place with bamboo stakes with the shade cloth maybe 2.5 - 3 ft high. You can put 4 stakes in and surround them on all sides. Hold the shade cloth to the stakes with fencing wire. You can keep them surrounded until they emerge on their own and then pull it away.

[Steve Mac]

8 hours ago, banthony720 said:

Does regular window screen do any good?

I doubt it, maybe three layers of it.

[Palms Brisbane]

I do not understand why you are looking for alternatives to shadecloth, its relatively inexpensive and does the job you need. Can just put 3-4 posts and cover the plant from above.

Flyscreen in my opinion will be subpar and main benifit will be stopping flies going onto your palms, prob better than nothing though.

Not sure if you can grow this in Central florida, but whats common here is people planting pawpaw plants for filtered light/ shade for palms. They are fast growing and provide a quick canopy and you get fruit.

Good luck.

PawPaw tree:

[Frond-friend42]

4 minutes ago, Palms Brisbane said:

I do not understand why you are looking for alternatives to shadecloth, its relatively inexpensive and does the job you need. Can just put 3-4 posts and cover the plant from above.

Flyscreen in my opinion will be subpar and main benifit will be stopping flies going onto your palms, prob better than nothing though.

Not sure if you can grow this in Central florida, but whats common here is people planting pawpaw plants for filtered light/ shade for palms. They are fast growing and provide a quick canopy and you get fruit.

Good luck.

PawPaw tree:

This is Papaya. Paw-paw is something different.  I don't know which is used as shade. But I do love papaya. 

[Palms Brisbane]

@Frond-friend42

In Australia its called pawpaw.

Sorry not sure of the internatioal standard. That image is a plant for sale in Perth Western Australia "Pawpaw Southern Red".

I think other countries might call it Papaya.  

Edited March 30, 2021 by Palms Brisbane

[sonoranfans]

a. purpurea in sun is a mistake here.  Mine in part (3/4) shade are fine.  I would use 1by 1 sticks, overhead shade cloth and a staple gun for the others for one year.  After roots ar established most will take the sun without a hiccup and if you have the shadecloth in place over winter, it will help keep those little seedlings warm in a cold snap.  Also keep their roots wet in the grow season they love water, cant have too much.

[Johnny Palmseed]

11 hours ago, gtsteve said:

I doubt it, maybe three layers of it.

Window screen will definitely do something. I can guarantee that fact after losing our old pool screen cage in a hurricane. Whether it provides the required results is another story. Also, something that people don’t know is that screen is available in different wire diameters and mesh patterns. All of which will affect the light transmission. Compared to buying a large quantity of shade cloth, window screen is available in small quantities at a local hardware store. I think using some window screen might be just what @banthony720 needs to make a nice “redneck ghetto screen”.

[Palms Brisbane]

23 minutes ago, Johnny Palmseed said:

Window screen will definitely do something. I can guarantee that fact after losing our old pool screen cage in a hurricane. Whether it provides the required results is another story. Also, something that people don’t know is that screen is available in different wire diameters and mesh patterns. All of which will affect the light transmission. Compared to buying a large quantity of shade cloth, window screen is available in small quantities at a local hardware store. I think using some window screen might be just what @banthony720 needs to make a nice “redneck ghetto screen”.

Depends what shops around and which country. Flyscreens more expensive in Australia then shadecloth and can buy both per metre.

[sonoranfans]

I have reused shadecloth many times, as palms grew, reattaching it  to a larger frame.  Window screen is not so reusable.  I have 10 year old shadecloth ready to cover my babies as they go in.  So if you want to resize the shade as a palm gets bigger or if you want to put it on another palm its going to last longer and be easier.  Shade cloth probably cuts out 2x as much light as screen, your eyes aren't lying.  Pool screens do cut the heat and reduce water demands. I know of someone who has a bunch of smaller palms under their pool screen, they look happy though none are emergent palms.