Sun Shelter for Elms

[AaronThomas]

With the temp here in hell...errrr... I mean Tucson hovering around 110 to 115 for the past few weeks with no let up in sight... I'm thinking of building a new pergola with removable shade cloth panels. Curious as to the percentage of sun block for the trees.... 30% or 40% ok? Afraid of having leggy bonsai!
Thoughs?

 

[sorce]

I would do something like they got at Kouka-en.
You know...

Random video.

One of them will show theirs, and its always worth watching them all again anyway!

I like how they are retractable, and the wind can blow em a bit so light can penetrate differently.

You can see the cables they are attached to at at the end still screen here...

And watch the little translation thing on the bottom the says "porn beam"..lol!

Sorce

 

[aml1014]

If you guys hit 12 on the UV index like we do here, you'll have no worries. I use 60% shade clothe and I never get leggy growth, plus it makes it a much nicer place to work in the day.

Aaron

 

[AaronThomas]

"porn beam"

Bahahahahah!
Lets enroll!

12 on the UV index

Yeah... were right up there with you! I think Im using 40% now (20 folded over) I want to get the heat off the pots (towels help) but also the direct sun is brutal. Designing a semi-permanent structure. Even though I wrapped up my bougie pots with white towels... the bracts fried out yesterday. DAMN!!!
Super fast sketch... not yet completed.... Few more cross bars so I can drop in a screen with shade cloth on the top and just fasten it down.... Also, some cloth that I can roll up and down in the front...but I think yall get the idea!

 

[Cypress187]

Can't watch youtube on my work I also need some sun protection, my tree's at my parents place grow much better. Is the sun hotter in an apartment balcony?

 

[aml1014]

Bahahahahah!
Lets enroll!

Yeah... were right up there with you! I think Im using 40% now (20 folded over) I want to get the heat off the pots (towels help) but also the direct sun is brutal. Designing a semi-permanent structure. Even though I wrapped up my bougie pots with white towels... the bracts fried out yesterday. DAMN!!!
Super fast sketch... not yet completed.... Few more cross bars so I can drop in a screen with shade cloth on the top and just fasten it down.... Also, some cloth that I can roll up and down in the front...but I think yall get the idea!View attachment 108935

The other day when it was 102 here with 2% humidity every mimosa (albizia julibrissin) in town had all of their flowers fry and fall off, next day, full bloom again!lol

Aaron

 

[AaronThomas]

flowers fry and fall off

Even the bougies in the ground are dropping their bracts. Super hot winds… Possibly the end of the world. We better have that party at @sorce new place very soon !

Is the sun hotter in an apartment balcony?

I guess it all depends on the direction it faces, color, temp and air circulation. Best to just grow at your folks house!

 

[JudyB]

I use shade cloth for wind protection on a structure here, we made a simple pulley system with rings I tie wrapped going down the fabric to a pipe at the bottom. Basically it works like a roman shade, so when you pull it up, its pretty tight to the overhead. Works really well, and fast and easy to put up and down.

 

[Cypress187]

I guess it all depends on the direction it faces, color, temp and air circulation. Best to just grow at your folks house!

I faces the best possible sunny direction, bad circulation, so i guess it's hot, I don't know the color i can't look into the sun that long (and when i do i see alot of color for some time).

 

[Waltron]

party at sorce's? ill bring the napa dust!

 

[milehigh_7]

Leggy > Dead

 

[M. Frary]

like a roman shade, so when you pull it up, its pretty tight to the overhead. Works really well, and fast and easy to put up and down.

Isn't that a description for a toga?

 

[milehigh_7]

What I had built just was not cutting it so... to Harbor Freight I went. $98 for 20' x 10' shelter $10 for pack of 4 ratcheting tie-downs $12 for 4 auger style stakes. I did it a week ago the day before the 116F+ hit. So far so good.


It it bright but diffused light all day... we will see how stuff grows...

 

[rockm]

This kind of makes me not mind our winters much. 115 degrees and 2 percent humidity will kill a tree faster than two feet of snow and 0 degrees...Good luck.

FWIW, we had a week or two at the beginning of June with 35 mph wind, mid 90s and 4 percent humidity. That dried all of my trees out three times a day. Had me worried for a while. Some new growth is still crispy from that.

 

[JudyB]

Yeah, I'd take a cold winter over a hot summer any day... Too hot here in the summer for me as is, can't imagine living somewhere that the temps get above 100. Ever. H0pe you get a respite soon out there.

 

[milehigh_7]

H0pe you get a respite soon out there.

Oh we will... October is coming...

 

[AaronThomas]

napa dust!

Is that what the kids are calling it these days?

October is coming

Not soon enough !!! At this point I'm just praying for rain! I have the trees well off into the yard getting dappled sun so they're not cooking.

made a simple pulley system

like that idea a lot…

 

[milehigh_7]

I just wanted / needed fast and cheap.

 

[AaronThomas]

@milehigh_7
Your link is a bit.... how do I say.... fucked. HAHAAHHAAH! Tried to lock me out of my computer.
Anyway... fast and cheap is good.
Think I may build something a bit more permanent this year.... so tired of the shuffle.

 

[AaronThomas]

This kind of makes me not mind our winters much.

How I long for soggy soil, puddles, and moss growing on rocks. Miss the northeast this time of year.
On a different note.... The montezuma cypress is exploding! Thanks again for the advice..... I'm however going to stick it out with the open soil for the rest of the season. Tree doesn't seem to mind the shade for most of the day.