How tall are your plants? If the cloth is too close, it will hold in heat and cook your plants. If you've got a couple of feet you'll be okay unless they grow taller. Leave the east side clear so they get enough sun.

I agree with Amy. Shade cloth works best if you leave a nice airy area between the bottom of the shade cloth and the top of the plants. Otherwise in the insane heat we get here, even shade cloth can hold in so much heat that your plants will roast to death in just a few hours. Just a warning---our green tree snakes think that shade cloth is just another word for snake hammocks. I constantly find myself eye to eye with the green snakes when I'm picking tomatoes. This year, I've only seen the green snakes 3 times (I haven't even put up shade cloth yet) but expect to see them a lot more. They are hanging out along the western and eastern fence lines.