Shading seedlings or crops that are sensitive to sunlight is as important as providing them with clean water and fresh air. Shading can be done in a variety of ways, from simple latex paint on glass and plastic coverings to complex computer-controlled movable shade screen systems.

Although shading is only part of the production process, some growers and retailers have built special shade facilities. These are typically simple facilities that hang a shade curtain over the crops to protect them from strong sunlight or to create a more comfortable shopping environment for customers. These facilities are generally called awnings.

Awnings are used around the world to improve the quality of crops and create a comfortable environment for operators. The most common use of awnings is to reduce the amount of direct sunlight reaching the crops.

For commercial growers, awnings are relatively inexpensive facilities. Cable awnings cost only $0.35-0.40/ft² (3.75-4.25/m²). If the outdoor climate is suitable for production and planting, then the sunshade not only provides an inexpensive facility to expand the planting area, but also provides a good environment for hardening the seedlings before the crops are put on the market. Obviously, the warmer the place, the longer the sunshade will be used during the crop growing season. Foliage plant growers in Florida use sunshades for production all year round, and use 4mil (1mil=0.0254mm) plastic film to prevent short-term frost and freezing in winter.

For retail activities, sunshades provide a comfortable environment for customers to shop leisurely. If direct sunlight can be avoided, most customers will feel comfortable regardless of the outdoor temperature. If other equipment is used in conjunction with it, such as artificial waterfalls, circulating fans, evaporative cooling equipment, etc., the environment of the sunshade will be more attractive.

In addition to this benefit, the sunshade can also be used as a wind barrier in a specific area. Sunshade curtains can be installed on the sides or ends of the sunshade to effectively prevent wind damage to plants.

In some areas of Mexico with moderate climatic conditions, vegetable growers use insect-proof nets instead of traditional greenhouse covering materials to cover the sunshade for vegetable production. Insect-proof nets are covered on awnings to prevent insects while maximizing natural ventilation, and even to a certain extent.

In some cases, growers cover awnings with engineering fabric materials to reduce frost damage. Some specially made fabric materials help reflect long-wave radiation from the ground back to the crop layer. Generally speaking, the structure of these fabric materials can prevent air or water vapor from passing through. Therefore, awnings covered with fabric materials for anti-freeze should have a certain slope on the covered surface to facilitate water to flow down, or be designed as a folding open roof to avoid excessive water vapor from accumulating on the roof.