Here is a set of images for a clearer idea of the benefits of shade cloth.
This Mountain Hemlock is experiencing sun stress. The needles are yellower than they should be. Hemlocks are normally blueish-green. Placed in too much sun, a plant’s leaves or needles will use energy to repair the damage. As a result, this tree is weak.
Now, after only 3 weeks under 50% shade cloth, the needles have appreciably darkened. This is closer to the healthy needle color of Mountain Hemlock, which will improve plant vigor. (Mountain Hemlocks from different regions have a range of needle colors, from blue to dark green.) This is where some knowledge of the light preference for our species comes in, for we can over-shade our plants as well as under-shade them.
The earlier posts in this series are:
Shade Cloth Part I: A Sliding Scale