In the afternoon the hot sun comes onto my porch. I need to create shade, but can't afford solar shades. Does anyone have an idea what I can use to shade my porch that is not to expensive?
By Sylvia Givens from Monticello, MS
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Get vining plants such as clematis, morning glories, passion vine, or ivy and put on a trellis on that side of your porch. This will block some of the view but keep out a lot of the strong sunlight when mature. You can get the wood or plastic lattice panels and make as many trellis necessary.
Or, plant a shrub like a lilac or Rose of Sharon nearby that grows tall and bushy and doesn't mind the sun.
IF these ideas won't work for this year, then I'd get cheap remnant cotton material and make my own by hanging up a curtain rod or two to the upper inside of the porch frame and sew across the top of fabric to fit a rod.
You could also go to a thrift shop and buy used drapes for this purpose or a large tablecloth or sheet. If you get the color that matches your house, it won't look odd.
Also check your local hardware store for an inexpensive all-weather roll-up shade. I recently bought one that is 6' wide for less than $20. My porch faces west and there is no shade; the roll-up shade makes a big difference!
I have the same problem but with a patio with a hard awning over it.
I live in a mobile home park and they won't let us put any kind of fence or things like that.
If they will let you stick a trellis in the ground, you can plant a fast growing climbing plant or plant tall bushes on the side where the sun shines in the afternoon.
How about a few cheap evergreens in a tall pot? You could plant them in the ground in the fall.
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