Sunlight is a necessary condition for photosynthesis, but too much of a good thing may cause damage to plants. Just like you, your green companions may end up with sunburns if they spend too much time exposed to the gold rays.
Signs of Sun Damage
If your plant has received more sun than it can handle, its top leaves may change color to white or yellow. In case of a severe sunburn, leaf edges become brown and crispy. Another typical symptom is overall plant wilting, which is caused by dehydration resulting from an excess amount of light and heat.
To maintain the good health of your plants, you may need to shade them from direct sunlight from time to time, especially during the hot season.
Use a Shade Cloth Cover
A sunshade for plants is usually made of loosely knitted or woven chemical fiber. Choose an easily removable option if you need to protect your plants only in the hours of extreme sunshine and heat. The shade fabrics have different degrees of density, and their sun protection levels range from 5% to 95%. The lifespan of the shade materials is around 10 years, so this garden investment will serve you for many seasons ahead. In addition, garden shade cloths are permeable, so they ensure the right amount of ventilation and enough humidity. Just install the shade cloth cover at least a dozen inches (30 cm) above the plants to avoid the hothouse effect.
Install an Outdoor Umbrella
Using a large umbrella is perhaps the easiest way to safeguard your plants against excess sun. You can quickly install it wherever you need shade and tilt or take it down as the sun moves along its daily route. In addition, an umbrella can become a stylish design feature in your garden, terrace, or balcony.
Create Shade With Other Plants
Use a row of medium-tall bushes to protect plants that are shorter and more light-sensitive. Depending on your climatic zone, you can opt for dwarf varieties of common yews, willow trees, or barberry trees. You can try to make a live fence of slim and tall varieties of cacti or bamboos that enjoy full sun exposure and can serve as a great sunshield for other plants.
Another green hedge version that you and your sun-sensitive plants may fancy is vining plants that can climb and curl around any structure and offer partly transparent shade. Choose the creeping plants that love sunshine, such as the perennial pea vine or the trumpet vine.
Use our recommendations to hide your plants from unwanted solar rays but remember to give them enough sun to thrive and blossom!