Open field farming exposes crops to unfavorable conditions such as high sunlight, humidity and evaporation. These factors greatly lead to lower production levels and often low-quality yield. Shade house cost low and is one of the solutions for combating sunlight effect on your crop by shielding off excess radiation.

Understanding Shade House

A shade house is simply a structure that is built with wood or steel and outside cover of agricultural shade nets. The purpose of the shade nets to enable propagation and growing vegetables, seedlings and other crops in areas with intense sunlight.

Shade nets filter the sunlight rays in accordance with their sunlight filtration capacity which depends on the material. Common shade nets available have filtration levels of 35%, 55%, 75% and 90%.

Aqua Hub LTD is an agricultural net dealer with expertise in construction of durable and top-rated shade house in Kenya.

Shade House Cost in Kenya

Common standard shade houses sizes vary with the dimensions and size. The popular sizes cost is listed below.

Shade Nets

35% shade net – best for vegetables that require much sunlight rays. For example, tomatoes, cucumbers, capsicum and pumpkins.

55% shade net – often utilized in growing leafy greens such as kales, Swiss chards, broccoli, spinach and lettuce.

75% shade net – haven for propagation of vegetable, tree and fruit seedlings. Cut out much sunlight and prevents heat stress for young plants to grow.

90% – recommended shade-loving plants such as ferns, succulents, flowers and

Types of Shade House Structures in Kenya

Wooden flat-roofed shade house – designed with a flat roof, but with either treated timber or galvanized steel poles.

Tunnel shade House – made with a curved or tunnel roof. Designed using galvanized steel structure and covered with a shade net material.

What Crops are Grown in a Shade House?

Shade House is suitable for cultivation of variety of crops. The common popular crops often done in shade houses include:

Vegetables:

• Leafy greens: Spinach, lettuce, kale
• Herbs: Coriander, mint, parsley, basil
• Shade-tolerant veggies: Capsicum (bell peppers), tomatoes, chillies, cucumbers

Flowers and Ornamentals:

• Geraniums
• Chrysanthemums
• Orchids
• Anthuriums
• Ferns

Nursery Plants:

• Vegetable seedlings
• Fruit seedlings
• Grafted fruit tree seedlings
• Tree seedlings

Fruits (in sapling or early stages):

• Papaya
• Strawberry
• Dragon fruit

Benefits of Shade House Farming

• Temperature Regulation: Shade nets lower temperature by 4–10°C, minimizing heat stress on crops.
• UV Protection: shade nets prevent Ultraviolet rays which can damage crops.
• Water Conservation: Lower evaporation rates mean less irrigation needed.
• Pest Control: Nets serve as a physical barrier against many insects and birds.
• Extended Growing Seasons: Farmers can grow crops outside their traditional seasons.
• Higher Yields and Better Quality: The controlled environment leads to more uniform and market-friendly produce.
• Reduced Crop Loss: Protection from heavy rain, hail, and strong winds significantly reduces post-planting losses

How to Install Shade House

1.        Site Selection

Choose a flat and well-drained area

Ensure the area to build your shade house has sufficient water supply and good sunlight.

Avoid low-lying, flood-prone regions.

It is also important to check the health and PH of the soil before deciding where to place the shade house.

2. Design and Layout

Decide the size based on your purpose and budget.

Orientation typically runs east-west to reduce sun exposure.

Divide into beds or plots for easy access and crop rotation.

3. Material Selection

Use UV-Resistant shade nets. The ideal shade net material to use will vary as per the specific crops you choose to cultivate.

For structure, galvanized pipes are preferred due to corrosion resistance and long durability.

Additional elements include:

• Drip irrigation kits or misting system
• Misters for humidity (for flowers and ferns)

4. Construction

• Install vertical poles and frame.
• Stretch the net tightly to avoid sagging.
• Secure the base to prevent wind damage.

5. Planting and Maintenance

• Prepare nutrient-rich soil or use grow bags.
• Use organic compost and mulching for better soil health.
• Monitor temperature, humidity, and pests regularly.

Shade House Design and Installation by Aqua Hub

We are reliable in construction of shade house structures in Kenya. Our projects include small, medium-sized and large houses. Common standard sizes include 8 x 15m, 8 x 24m, 8 x 30m, 16 x 30 and 16 x 45m. We also do other custom sizes as per your farm size and production goals.

Call 0790719020

Applications of Shade House in Kenya

• Growing vegetables, flowers, herbs and seedlings.
• Enables the agronomics of vegetable and spices, flower plants, medicinal plants and foliage plants.
• Recommended for fruit and vegetable nurseries and immensely used for raising forest species.
• Shade-houses serve as a barrier for animals or a weed barrier, and safeguards against pest attacks.
• Shade houses help in protecting vegetation and flowers from intense sunlight, wind and rain.