Shade House Structures

Normally a propagated plant would be moved out from a igloo or glass house production area to an area with 70 or 80% shade, then after a period of time it would be moved to an area with 30% shade and thereafter into the full sun.

What is a shade house?
A shade house is for maximum growing of indoor, shade loving plants (as opposed to full sun in a greenhouse/Glasshouse/Hot House) as well as for raising seedlings.A shade house is a structure which usually consists of a metal frame that supports shade cloth - a type of screen that provides some passive environmental control e.g.shading the plants from excessive sunlight and wind. In warmer climates shade houses are useful for growing a range of plants that grow well in cool to temperate regions but do not cope with the amount of hot direct sun. In a cold snap, more elaborate shade houses can be heated to prevent frost damage to the plants.

Why use a shade house?
Shade houses are important in plant production for gaining maximum growth, allowing plants time to acclimatize to outdoor conditions and "harden off". There are a number of benefits in using a shade house:
Protection

• Protect plants from wind, hail and pests
• Protect plants from extreme hot weather
• Protect plants which are cold or frost sensitive over winter

Improve growth

• Propagate new plants
• Grow tropical plants in cooler climates
• Increase yields and quality. The result of a healthier root system
• Improve space: Using multi-tier/layer shelves in a shade house
• Grow vegetables, cut flowers or berry fruits out of season, faster than might be achieved outside.

Save in costs

• Considerable savings in operation costs (energy, irrigation, spraying, misting etc.)
• Labor cost: Better work environment increases work efficiency

Increase safety

• Plant disease suppression
• Avoid workers exposed to severe weather conditions