Shade is Important for Vegetable Growing in the Desert

 Hoophouse with 30% shade at The Orchard

Q. I have to build a small raised bed for vegetables and herbs. I want to provide protection from the wind and cold and, later, the summer heat. The sun screening in the stores are the 25-30% type. What is the best sun screening level for sun screen?

A. We generally use about a 30% shade cloth for most vegetables. Even at 30% this is too much shade for some vegetables such as okra which does much better in full sun. Okra originated out of the area of northern Africa we now call Ethiopia and Eritrea. This probably explains why they don’t like much shade and enjoy our full sun.
I would not go above 30% shade for those vegetables which we value for their flowers and subsequent fruit that develop from flowers. Decreasing light will affect flower production. For leafy vegetables you can go higher in percent shade, perhaps in the 40% shade category.