Shade cloths are an essential tool for a successful growing season. They are usually made of woven polypropylene fabric and can be added to any structure. The main function of shade cloth is to protect the plants. The light diffusion percentage is chosen based on the plant's light needs and the local climate.
Experienced farmers will often tell you how the sun passes over the farm at different times of the year, even if they aren’t talking in terms of north, east, south, and west. They may point to the path across the sky, describing the pattern. As the sun sinks into the sky during the short winter days, they’ll tell you about how that group of tall trees next to the garden casts a long shadow over a full quarter of the garden area, although it still protects it nicely from strong winds. Nearly every farm has microclimates of one sort or another.
