A Heatwave is Sweeping Across Eastern US States Right Now – This is the One Thing You Need to Protect Your Seedlings

Summer might still be a few months away, but it has arrived early for many US states this week. Cities including New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore have all experienced record-breaking temperatures, and the sweltering heat is set to continue into the weekend.

You might be worried about your plants and tender seedlings in such extreme temperatures. Fortunately, I've found this 55% shade cloth from Walmart, which is the perfect way to keep tender seedlings safe from scorching heat – and it's impressively easy to set up.

Constructed from high-density plastic, the cloth blocks harmful UV rays while still letting sunlight through to help plants photosynthesize. It even comes with a 32-foot rope to allow you to hang it from stakes or garden hoops (which you can also find at Walmart). And at $23.99, it's a failsafe way to protect your plants during the heatwave.

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As its name suggests, shade cloth provides a way to cover your plants during extreme weather. It can be used to protect them from frost or wind, but it's particularly helpful in hot temperatures.

'When the temperatures sizzle, you don’t want your plants to. Shade cloth offers a quick and simple way to give them vital protection from the blazing sun,' explains Drew Swainston, Content Editor at Homes & Gardens.

Drew has worked as a writer since 2008 and was also a professional gardener for many years. As a trained horticulturist, he worked in prestigious historic gardens, including Hanbury Hall and the world-famous Hidcote Manor Garden. He also spent time as a specialist kitchen gardener at Soho Farmhouse and Netherby Hall, where he grew vegetables, fruit, herbs, and cut flowers for restaurants. Drew has written for numerous print and online publications and is an allotment holder and garden blogger. He was shortlisted for the Digital Gardening Writer of the Year at the 2025 Garden Media Guild Awards.

There are plenty of shade cloth options to choose from, but the best ones will be lightweight and breathable as well as sturdy. Walmart's 55% shade cloth is wind-resistant and waterproof, but its mesh fabric will still create airflow and allow light to filter through.

'You can use this to quickly cover your plants in extreme temperatures, giving them valuable respite from the intense heat,' says Drew.

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'It lets vital air and light through, but keeps the heat away from plants to avoid stress. It also stops the soil from quickly warming up and drying out.'

The shade cloth will also block slightly more UV rays than it filters, providing adequate protection without cutting off too much light.

'The percentage indicated on the packaging refers to how much sunlight is blocked,' explains Drew. 'Around 50-60 per cent is good for general ornamental plants, but you can go a bit lower for crops that actively like the heat.'

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This particular shade cloth is complete with reinforced edges and corners with metal grommets.

Spaced evenly along the cloth, the grommets allow you to easily create a canopy or cover for your plants – and the cloth even comes with a 32-foot rope to help you suspend it from stakes, poles or garden hoops.

'It's crucial to have the shade cloth on a frame or stakes, rather than just laid on your plants,' says Drew. 'A common mistake that gardeners make in a heatwave is placing shade cloth directly onto plants. This is dangerous because it can get very hot and burn the foliage it's in contact with.'

Aside from hoops or support stakes (which you can find at Amazon), you'll also need something to weigh down the shade cloth and keep it stable.

'Don’t forget to weigh the corners down, or pin them, to stop the cloth blowing away,' confirms Drew.

Landscape staples, which you can also buy from Amazon, are a great option.

(Image credit: Etienne Jeanneret / Moment / Getty Images)

Why Shoppers Love This Shade Cloth

This shade cloth has a host of five-star ratings on Walmart, with shoppers quick to praise both its convenience and practicality.

'It was very easy to put up and works great over my garden,' writes one reviewer. 'It was a great price too.'

'This is a really nice shade cover for my garden,' writes another reviewer. 'I used it in hot summer sun and it did a great job protecting veggies.'

A handful of shoppers noted that the grommets didn't feel quite as sturdy, but they still recommended the shade cloth as a useful form of protection in hot weather.

In need of more hot-weather tips? We asked experts which flowers are most at risk during a heatwave, as well as how to protect your lawn in a heatwave.

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