Have a great invention to help with gardening? Are you the self-reliant type that prefers Building It Yourself vs. buying it? Share and discuss your ideas and projects with other members.
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May 31, 2007 | #1 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NY
Posts: 2,618
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Reflector, multi-purpose.
Quote:
To compensate for not enough sunlight, I have made these reflectors which also serve many other needs: 1. Front side, reflector. In addition to reflecting light, they really keep the top layer of soil cool for root growth. 2. Back side is painted black. I turn them over to absorpt solar heat to warn up the soil early in the season. 3. They serve as stepping stones so that I don't compact the soil. 4. They serve to conserve moisture and to keep weeds out. (mulch) 5. They serve as platforms so that I can put a ladder on them to get to the tall plants. They are made with roofing aluminum sheets stappled on 3/4" thick waterproof plywood. dcarch
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tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato Last edited by dcarch; June 1, 2007 at 03:30 PM. |
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June 1, 2007 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Woodstock GA
Posts: 418
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Thanks for posting them!
Have you any idea the amount of light reflected? From what little knowledge I have, I know for example aluminum foil does not reflect as much light as one would think. |
June 1, 2007 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E
Posts: 5,041
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dcarch, definately cool and multi purpose as well. Ami
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Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!' |
June 1, 2007 | #4 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NY
Posts: 2,618
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Quote:
There is another reason why I use reflectors. UV is used extensively to kill micro-organisms, including water treatment facilities. Have you noticed that most deceases start from the bottom of the plants? The reflectors I use, as you can see reflect light mostly to the bottom of the plants where it is much darker. Whether this is in fact correct or not, I just don't have the space to do a controlled comparison. dcarch
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March 2, 2008 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 100
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Very impressive !!!
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All Typos are Crappyrighted @ |
March 2, 2008 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Wahoo, Nebraska
Posts: 132
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Nice setup, dcarch!
You have a space limitation, which we don't, but this means you put your maters on the same spot of dirt each and every year? We used to do that for years and it worked, but everyone says to rotate nightshades and only put them on dirt every four years? Ideas?
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Kent & Kathy, near Wahoo, Nebraska "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." From In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan |
March 2, 2008 | #7 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NY
Posts: 2,618
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Quote:
I am what's know as an extreme tomato grower I am extremely sloppy I am extremely lazy I am extremely stupid. In the small plot I have, I pack them 14" apart. I don't rotate. I don't throw away dead plants from before. I don't compost kitchen and leaves before I bury them. Please don't do what I do. I just have been very lucky. dcarch
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March 3, 2008 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Lebanon, PA • Zone 6a
Posts: 145
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That sounds like my kind of tomato growing. I usually have to crawl around under the jungle to get to the fruit.
I'm going to try and be MUCH better this year. Especially since I'm helping with the Dwarf project.
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March 13, 2008 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Abilene, TX zone 7
Posts: 1,478
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Where can you get the aluminum roofing sheets, and did you cut them or do they come in certain sizes? I have seen some people use Al pie pans at the base of the plants as well.
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March 13, 2008 | #10 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NY
Posts: 2,618
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Quote:
dcarch
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March 13, 2008 | #11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: PNW
Posts: 4,743
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That thin aluminum sheet is known as "flashing". It has
a variety of construction uses. One can find it near roofing materials in hardware stores, either cut into small squares or in rolls of various widths. Most of the flashing that I have seen is light enough for the wind to lift it up and move it around, so one may want to weight it down with a rock or put a little dirt on top of it around the edges to keep the wind from getting under it.
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March 17, 2008 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Mid-Ohio
Posts: 847
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Reflectivity is an often ignored subject, but can be very useful for people growing indoors in windowsill and under lights. You can massively increase the light hitting plants by placing reflective material under and around them... something to think about when starting seedlings under shoplights.
Clean mylar has a reflectivity of around 95% (less with waterspots). Flat white paint or plastic sheeting has a reflectivity of around 90%. Aluminum foil reflects about 70% of the light hitting it. Our garden area is along the side of the light colored (off white) house and if the mature plants are up against the wall they don't get any reflected light on the back side, so it is better to plant them several feet out from the wall. |
March 17, 2008 | #13 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 542
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Quote:
Jay |
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March 17, 2008 | #14 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NY
Posts: 2,618
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Quote:
I am extremely flattered. dcarch
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