Bright Light vs Full Sun

[estación seca]

The red plastic covering on the ground is supposed to reflect more red light up to the plant, which is supposed to be good for photosynthesis. The claim is that tomatoes produce more fruit with this red plastic on the ground around them. I have never used it.

[katrina]

Hmmm...ok you both have my wheels turning now. Perhaps I could cover the fence wall with something reflective. Maybe also drape It over the shelf. It might not be perfectly reflective up toward the leaves but it might help some. ??? Thinking, thinking, thinking. The hamster wheel is really moving now!

Thanks for the suggestions, both of you!

[Subrosa]

Originally Posted by katrina

Hmmm...ok you both have my wheels turning now. Perhaps I could cover the fence wall with something reflective. Maybe also drape It over the shelf. It might not be perfectly reflective up toward the leaves but it might help some. ??? Thinking, thinking, thinking. The hamster wheel is really moving now!

Thanks for the suggestions, both of you!

Here's another. Could you paint your wall with greenhouse whitewash? It normally wears off of roof surfaces over the course of a winter, but might persist a bit better on a vertical. You could probably remove it with a regular hose fitted with a decent nozzle if you needed to.

[Optimist]

Originally Posted by katrina

Isn't that tomato stuff more for heat than light? I get plenty of heat in that area due to concrete in close proximity so not sure I'd want to increase the temps over there.

I thought that the red plastic sheeting was to reflect red light on the tomato, which would act to cause blooming. (And it is not a bad idea). Blue light causes vegetative growth, red light causes blooming (fruiting, since blooms are fruits once pollinated-- fruit is just a seed pod).

[Subrosa]

Originally Posted by Optimist

I thought that the red plastic sheeting was to reflect red light on the tomato, which would act to cause blooming. (And it is not a bad idea). Blue light causes vegetative growth, red light causes blooming (fruiting, since blooms are fruits once pollinated-- fruit is just a seed pod).

Correct about the respective functions of each color of light, but one doesn't cancel the other. If you reflect all of the visible wavelengths in the form of white light the extra red you provide will still do its thing.

[katrina]

My husband has endured a great deal with my orchids addiction...even enabled me by building many of my set ups...but, if I were to paint our privacy fence, he just might snap.

No, I'll just have to see if I can maybe rig something with the cloth.

[Subrosa]

Originally Posted by katrina

My husband has endured a great deal with my orchids addiction...even enabled me by building many of my set ups...but, if I were to paint our privacy fence, he just might snap.

No, I'll just have to see if I can maybe rig something with the cloth.

White cloth covered with chicken wire secured over it?

[katrina]

Originally Posted by Subrosa

White cloth covered with chicken wire secured over it?

That's a great idea! Thanks!

Maybe take it one step further and use a silver metallic something or other...if I can find it.

[Ray]

Katrina - use white, and you'll get more light going to the plants than if you use anything metallic or mirror-like.

When light hits a white surface, it reflects it in all directions (hence the reason it looks white from any direction). Put up something with more mirror-like reflectivity, and the angle of reflection equals the angle of incidence, i.e., sunlight reflecting off of it will likely only benefit your lawn.

If the metallic fabric is crinkly and multi-faceted, it will help, but even then the reflection to your plants will only be a small percentage of the light, based entirely upon only those facets that are properly angled.

[katrina]

I learn something new every day! Thanks for that gem, Ray.