How to Install an Easy Gardener Sun Screen
Allow your sensitive plants to thrive in the shade by installing a gardener sun screen. These adjustable screens are inexpensive and easy to assemble, so you can stay in control of the amount of sun your plants receive. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Chicken wire
- Wire cutters
- Plastic zip ties
- 6-inch wooden stakes
- Hammer
- White drawstring trash bag
Instructions
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1
Form a cylinder with chicken wire that is wide enough to slide over the top of your plant without touching any growth. Remove excess material with wire cutters. Chicken wire comes pre-coiled and will naturally form into the tubular shape required.
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2
Use plastic zip ties to secure your cylinder's form and place it in position over the plant. Taller plants may require stacking a couple of chicken wire cylinders on top of one another.
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3
Hammer a 6-inch wooden stake halfway into the ground on opposing sides of the cylinder. Anchor the chicken wire to the stakes with zip ties. Harder ground may require using a more rigid aluminum stake.
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4
Open a white drawstring trash bag and slide it over the top of your cylinder. Secure the bag in place by pulling the drawstrings and tying them to the chicken wire.
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5
Adjust your the sun exposure to meet the needs of your plants by sliding the trash bag up and down the cylinder, or by poking holes through it for partial sunlight.
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Tips & Warnings
White cotton T-shirts are a natural alternative to plastic trash bags. Sun screens can double as scarecrows with an old shirt and a loosely thatched hat on top. Morning condensation will collect on your sun screen and drip down to water the root system of the covered plant. Turn your sun screen's frame into an insulation chamber for cold weather. Remove the trash bag and cover the frame with burlap or linen to keep plants from freezing.
Black bags will block too much sunlight and should not be used to screen growing plants. Monitor your plant's health regularly and provide plenty of water. Even shaded plants will die from drying heat. Heavy gusts of wind are capable of blowing away your sun screen. Give your screen extra support on windy days by surrounding the base with heavy rocks.
