Reflecting Light..

[murihikukid]

Hi...The season is nearly over down under and I am reviewing everything ...Unfortunately my greenhouse is located close to the house on the north side and tomatoes appear to suffer due to this.... I can only think that the house is stopping light getting in even although the suns trajectory is South East to West most of the season ...
I am now wondering if most of the northern side might be better with a reflective material on the inside that will reflect the light across the fruit....

I would be very grateful for any comment on this idea ..

I have attached a small sketch ....Many Thanks Ron NZ

[Worth1]

Why are they not getting light, is it because other plants are shading them?
Your cheapest and just about best reflecting material is going to be a dead flat surface painted bright white.
This is where folks that buy green houses end up paying more than they need to.
The side opposite of the sun doesn't need anything clear.

Worth

[murihikukid]

Hi...Thanks for your reply No the other plants are not shading them ....The sun does not get blocked by the house till well through the season,and even then the sun still has access to 1/3rd of the northern side...This is only my second season growing tomatoes and I enlerged my greenhouse towards the house ?? between seasons?? and there is a change since the previous season with the Tomatoes along the house side not doing well even although they are not entirely out of the sun range ..I presume its being blocked for light by the house shadow ..in fact I am sure that is the problem...
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The side opposite of the sun doesn't need anything clear.
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Thats what I thought ...The wind is a terrible problem particularly on the northern side when we get nor-westers and it lifts the plastic film..It seemed to me that I would not loose anything or perhaps even gain a lot by solving two problems at once by replacing the plastic with a solid reflective surface or as you recommend a bright white surface....Hence my post...

I will immediately start searching for something although I purchased some Alloy plastic Composite ( either side of a plastic core is a small layer of alloy...total thickness aprox 6mm ) some time ago from a scrap dealer....This stuff is really expensive and I got it for a song...It would be ideal....( this material has a story ...it was wrongly identified as completely alloy ..it was weighed and paid out as alloy??? So when it was properly identified as mainly worthless plastic there were some upset people..)

It will have to be repainted but its light,strong and easy to work with....

The Roof which at the moment is reinforced greenhouse film on a steel frame is being redesigned to give me more height inside (for my anticipated larger plants???? ) and I will be using corogated Nova Lite which should also give me a lot better light....and there is also my HPS lights...my CFL's ...My LED's Tubes or if i ever get it figured out my car headlights???? Why all of these ?? well I got them at a really cheap price as my friends were closing down the scrap business and they would have been crushed and worth very little....I really have now got some great lights if I want to use them....I am afraid my life has been hijacked by tomatoes??
Thanks Ron

[BigVanVader]

This will help
http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Metalli.../dp/B00BD3W0E2

[murihikukid]

Hi..Very interesting...I wonder if its available here in NZ... Thanks Ron

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by murihikukid

Hi..Very interesting...I wonder if its available here in NZ... Thanks Ron

No but I bet white mulch is.
The add says university proven.
The add does not go on the state that white reflects just about as good.
They wont say this because they are making a ton off of sliver mulch.
Not to put any product down or what anyone does.
It is just that I am a skeptic big time and go through every add claim or anything with a fine tooth comb.
I also had no idea a leaf could absorb light from its underside.
Worth

[BigVanVader]

I'm using it this year and so far so good. All the research studies I read showed all the info on light absorption, yield numbers etc vs other plastic mulches and it did show the best reduction of insect damage in multiple years. I always research anything I buy. I'm OCD like that.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

I'm using it this year and so far so good. All the research studies I read showed all the info on light absorption, yield numbers etc vs other plastic mulches and it did show the best reduction of insect damage in multiple years. I always research anything I buy. I'm OCD like that.

I know you are and I know you looked into it.
If you think about it insects dont land on reflective material much at all.
For some reason it spooks them.

You can hang a clear bag of water up in your outside drinking and BBQing area and it will keep the flies away.

Worth