Row Cover vs. Shade Cloth vs. Insect Netting: What's the Difference?
By Jonathan Dysinger and John Dysinger
Updated on
Show Transcript
0:00Hi guys, Jonathan here with Farmers Friend. I'm at Bountiful Blessings Farm with my dad John and we're going over some questions that have been submitted
0:08by our customers and we have a question from Cynthia. She asks, "How can frost cloth, shade cloth, and insect netting be used interchangeably in a pinch?" So,
0:20what do you got for us? Well, I I would say first of all that they're really not very
0:27interchangeable. Each has a very uh specific um purpose. Um you know frost cloth or I I use the word row cover.
0:38There's a lot of terms some people call it agribon or whatever but um you know it's meant to trap
0:46heat and shade cloth is meant to um to you know cut out sunlight to cool it off underneath.
0:56And insect netting is of course to keep insects out, but it's also to try to dissipate heat. So that's why it's it's,
1:06you know, got holes in it. Mhm.
1:09Depending on on which one you get. You know, the holes can be larger or smaller. So they're really not very interchangeable.
1:19But I I would say I think that she's probably thinking about, you know, if you have a very lightweight row cover or
1:27frost cloth, the lightest weight, some people do use that as an insect um
1:35barrier, insect netting, because it obviously is going to exclude insects.
1:43And if it's the super lightweight stuff, it's not going to trap too much heat.
1:48Yeah, we're talking about like 0.5 ounce or 6 ounce like the really lightweight.
1:54You know, the problem with that really lightweight stuff is it's so easy to tear. Um it it just, you know, it's
2:02almost like paper or something. So, it's not going to last very long. Um in my opinion, you're much better off shelling
2:11out the money to get proper insect netting. Um, and just use that, you know, in your shoulder seasons when you could use a few degrees of protection,
2:24uh, you know,
2:26temperature protection, then certainly you can use the row cover instead of insect netting.
2:35But um I don't know how you would use shade cloth interchangeably except again
2:43I mean row cover does cut out a little bit of sunlight. So you know depending on the
2:51thickness obviously the thicker it is the less light transmission. So you know maybe that's what she's thinking of there.
2:59But yeah, I mean it's a pain to have to have all of them, but I would say you're going to be compromising a
3:09lot if you're trying to use something that was designed for specific purpose for something that it wasn't designed
3:17for. Yeah, I agree. I I also feel like we should clarify that Benefit Blessings Farm does not use Agribond. Uh, go to
3:25Farmer's Friend and buy the top quality made in the USA Grow Guard from Atmore Industries. Yeah. I mean, hey, when we
3:33first, excuse me, when we first started out, we tried at least three different brands
3:41um, and had major issues, you know, with seams ungluing and breaking down in one
3:48season kind of thing. Of course, this was a long time ago. probably they've all improved since then, but when we
3:56found Grow Guard, we've stuck with it and we haven't had any complaints to be honest. We probably been using Grow
4:03Guard for um 23 years. Yeah, it's less susceptible to tearing and uh they they
4:13definitely uh put a lot of focus in high quality sourcing of their materials cuz I've talked with them about that quite extensively um to make sure that there's
4:22consistency in their product. So, and again, we're not downing any one particular brand. You know, I'm sure
4:30there's many other good brands out there, but we we've stuck with Yeah.
4:35Agroban is like the, you know, it's like the band-aid of the it's it's the the trademark term that that a lot of people
4:42use, but there are other options and we prefer Grow Guard and that's what Farmers Friend sells. Uh it's a very quality product. So, all righty. Well,
4:52if you're listening to this and you have a question that you would like us to answer in a future video, click that link down below and submit it. But until next time, happy growing.
Row cover (frost cloth), shade cloth, and insect netting are designed for different purposes and are not truly interchangeable. Row cover traps heat for frost protection, shade cloth blocks sunlight to cool crops, and insect netting excludes pests while allowing air to flow. In a pinch, lightweight row cover can double as insect exclusion — but you'll compromise durability and performance, and you're much better off investing in the right product for each job.
This is a question we get a lot, and it came up recently from a customer named Cynthia: "How can frost cloth, shade cloth, and insect netting be used interchangeably in a pinch?"
My dad, John Dysinger, has been using all three of these materials at Bountiful Blessings Farm for 27 years. His short answer? They're really not very interchangeable. But there are some nuances worth understanding, because knowing what each product does — and where the overlaps are — helps you make better purchasing decisions and avoid compromising your crop protection.
What Is Row Cover (Frost Cloth)?
Row cover — also called frost cloth, floating row cover, or sometimes by the brand name Agribon — is a lightweight, non-woven fabric designed to trap heat and protect crops from frost. It allows light, air, and water to pass through while creating a warmer microclimate around your plants.
Row cover comes in different weights, typically measured in ounces per square yard. At Bountiful Blessings Farm, my dad has standardized on 1-ounce row cover for most applications. Heavier weights provide more frost protection but transmit less light. Lighter weights (0.5 oz) let through more light and trap less heat.
A few degrees of frost protection might not sound like much, but it can be the difference between a marketable crop and a total loss on a cold night. And as we've discussed in previous articles, layering row cover with greenhouse plastic creates a two-layer system that can protect crops through below-zero temperatures.
One thing worth noting: at Bountiful Blessings Farm, we use Gro-Guard row cover from Atmore Industries — not Agribon. My dad has tried at least three different brands over the years and had issues with seams ungluing and fabric breaking down within a single season. When he found Gro-Guard, he stuck with it. They've been using it for about 23 years now with no complaints. The material is less susceptible to tearing and the quality has been remarkably consistent. "Agribon" has become the generic term for row cover (like "Band-Aid" for adhesive bandages), but there are better options out there.
What Is Shade Cloth?
Shade cloth is a woven fabric designed to block a percentage of sunlight and reduce temperatures underneath. It's the opposite of row cover in purpose — where row cover traps heat, shade cloth dissipates it.
Shade cloth is typically rated by the percentage of light it blocks — 30%, 50%, etc. You choose the density based on the crop and your climate. It's most commonly used to protect heat-sensitive crops like lettuce during the hottest months of summer, preventing bolting and keeping quality high.
Unlike row cover, shade cloth does not provide frost protection. It's a warm-weather tool.
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What Is Insect Netting?
Insect netting is a mesh material designed to create a physical barrier against pests while allowing air to flow through. The mesh openings are small enough to exclude insects but large enough to let air circulate, which is important because you don't want to trap heat around your plants during the warm months when pest pressure is highest.
The size of the mesh openings varies by product — smaller holes exclude smaller pests but also reduce airflow more. Insect netting is designed specifically to balance pest exclusion with ventilation.
Can You Use These Products Interchangeably?
Here's where the nuance comes in.
Can Row Cover Substitute for Insect Netting?
Partially — but with trade-offs. Very lightweight row cover (0.5 oz or similar) will obviously exclude insects, since it's a solid fabric with no holes. And because it's ultra-lightweight, it won't trap too much heat.
But there are real downsides. That super-lightweight material is extremely fragile — almost like paper, as my dad describes it. It tears easily, won't last long, and is frustrating to work with. You're much better off investing in proper insect netting, which is designed for durability and airflow in warm-weather conditions.
The one legitimate crossover: in shoulder seasons (early spring, late fall) when you want a few degrees of frost protection AND insect exclusion, row cover can serve both purposes simultaneously. But that's using row cover for what it's designed for — with the insect exclusion as a bonus, not the primary function.
Can Shade Cloth Substitute for Row Cover or Insect Netting?
Not really. Row cover does block a small amount of sunlight (the thicker the weight, the more it blocks), so in theory it provides a tiny bit of shading. But it also traps heat, which is the opposite of what you want when you're trying to cool crops down.
Shade cloth doesn't trap heat and doesn't exclude insects. Its mesh is typically too large to serve as an insect barrier. And it provides zero frost protection.
There's essentially no situation where shade cloth is a good substitute for the other two products.
Can Insect Netting Substitute for Row Cover?
No. Insect netting is designed to let air through — which means it doesn't trap the heat needed for frost protection. It will exclude insects beautifully, but it won't keep your crops warm on a cold night.
Should You Buy All Three?
My dad's honest assessment: yes, it's a pain to have all three products on hand. But you're going to compromise a lot if you try to use something designed for one purpose for a job it wasn't built for.
Each product has a specific role in the toolkit of a year-round market farm. Row cover protects from frost and extends your season. Shade cloth keeps heat-sensitive crops productive through summer. Insect netting keeps pests off without trapping heat.
If you're just getting started and need to prioritize, row cover is probably the most versatile single product — it handles frost protection, provides some wind protection, and does exclude insects as a secondary benefit. But as your farm grows, adding proper shade cloth and insect netting to your inventory will pay for itself in better crop quality and less hassle.
The Takeaway
Row cover, shade cloth, and insect netting are three distinct tools designed for three distinct problems. In a true pinch, lightweight row cover can double as insect exclusion during cooler weather. But trying to substitute one for another in most situations means compromising on the thing you're actually trying to accomplish.
Invest in the right product for each job. Your crops — and your sanity — will be better for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Row cover is a solid, non-woven fabric designed to trap heat for frost protection. Insect netting is a mesh material designed to exclude pests while allowing airflow. Row cover will block insects but also traps heat, which is undesirable in warm weather. Insect netting provides no frost protection.
Very lightweight row cover (0.5 oz) can work as insect exclusion in cooler weather, since it won't trap too much heat. However, ultra-lightweight row cover is very fragile and tears easily. For warm-season insect protection, purpose-built insect netting is significantly more durable and provides better airflow.
For general frost protection and season extension, 1-ounce row cover is a good all-around standard. Lighter weights (0.5 oz) transmit more light and trap less heat. Heavier weights provide more frost protection but reduce light transmission. You can also layer multiple covers for additional protection during severe cold.
No. Shade cloth is designed to block sunlight and reduce heat — the opposite of frost protection. It has no insulating properties and should not be used as a substitute for row cover in cold weather.
Bountiful Blessings Farm has used Gro-Guard from Atmore Industries for about 23 years after trying several other brands. Gro-Guard is less susceptible to tearing and has maintained consistent quality over decades of use. "Agribon" is often used as a generic term for row cover, but it's a specific brand — not the only option.
Row cover is the most versatile single product. It provides frost protection for season extension, wind protection for young transplants, and insect exclusion as a secondary benefit. Start with row cover and add shade cloth and insect netting as your farm grows and your crop protection needs become more specific.
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