I once tried using red plastic as a means to give the crops more useful
light. That was in my Dad's garden now gone. So I am stuck with much
shade and a oak scorch disease so I am very reluctant to take out
healthy trees.

So groping for a way to deal with lack of sun was wondering would a
mirror convey the full spectrum for my plants? Or must I cut till the
plants say OK?
Son broke a large mirror that I have held onto hoping for a use.

It is not that I have not looked about but I favor natural /cheap stuff.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6110867.html

--
Bill S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden
What use one more wake up call?
http://ocg6.marine.usf.edu/~liu/Drif...atest_roms.htm

Bill who putters wrote:
I once tried using red plastic as a means to give the crops more useful
light.

Something he
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_spectrum

That was in my Dad's garden now gone. So I am stuck with much
shade and a oak scorch disease so I am very reluctant to take out
healthy trees.

So groping for a way to deal with lack of sun was wondering would a
mirror convey the full spectrum for my plants? Or must I cut till the
plants say OK?
Son broke a large mirror that I have held onto hoping for a use.

Metalized mylar might be a thought, very cheap. Stretch it on a frame,
probably cut some flaps to cut wind loading. Or just cut in strips so
wind can blow through.

Jeff

It is not that I have not looked about but I favor natural /cheap stuff.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6110867.html

In article ,
Jeff Thies wrote:

Bill who putters wrote:
I once tried using red plastic as a means to give the crops more useful
light.

Something he
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_spectrum

That was in my Dad's garden now gone. So I am stuck with much
shade and a oak scorch disease so I am very reluctant to take out
healthy trees.

So groping for a way to deal with lack of sun was wondering would a
mirror convey the full spectrum for my plants? Or must I cut till the
plants say OK?
Son broke a large mirror that I have held onto hoping for a use.

Metalized mylar might be a thought, very cheap. Stretch it on a frame,
probably cut some flaps to cut wind loading. Or just cut in strips so
wind can blow through.

Jeff

It is not that I have not looked about but I favor natural /cheap stuff.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6110867.html


http://www.chelseagreen.com/content/...ight-to-boost-
indoor-food-production/
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://radwisdom.com/essays/this-is-your-brain/

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
Jeff Thies wrote:

Bill who putters wrote:
I once tried using red plastic as a means to give the crops more useful
light.

Something he
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_spectrum

That was in my Dad's garden now gone. So I am stuck with much
shade and a oak scorch disease so I am very reluctant to take out
healthy trees.

So groping for a way to deal with lack of sun was wondering would a
mirror convey the full spectrum for my plants? Or must I cut till the
plants say OK?
Son broke a large mirror that I have held onto hoping for a use.

Metalized mylar might be a thought, very cheap. Stretch it on a frame,
probably cut some flaps to cut wind loading. Or just cut in strips so
wind can blow through.

Jeff

It is not that I have not looked about but I favor natural /cheap stuff.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6110867.html


http://www.chelseagreen.com/content/...ight-to-boost-
indoor-food-production/

Thanks Jeff and Billy.

I still think the shading trees must be culled.

I'll do this in small increments striving to get stuff and let other
stuff live. I am constrained by a neighbor that does not have a clue
and my brothers on the left. I can talk my brother into a possible
remedy but I sort of feel even with the "great dimming light " issue it
will be most likely I can grow mostly greens.
Such is life but I do have Tomatoes and Jumbo beans on the verge of
entering my body. Lots of Thyme and mint but I really miss the sun in
some fundamental way.

--
Bill S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden
What use one more wake up call?
http://ocg6.marine.usf.edu/~liu/Drif...atest_roms.htm

In article ,
Bill who putters wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
Jeff Thies wrote:

Bill who putters wrote:
I once tried using red plastic as a means to give the crops more
useful
light.

Something he
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_spectrum

That was in my Dad's garden now gone. So I am stuck with much
shade and a oak scorch disease so I am very reluctant to take out
healthy trees.

So groping for a way to deal with lack of sun was wondering would a
mirror convey the full spectrum for my plants? Or must I cut till the
plants say OK?
Son broke a large mirror that I have held onto hoping for a use.

Metalized mylar might be a thought, very cheap. Stretch it on a frame,
probably cut some flaps to cut wind loading. Or just cut in strips so
wind can blow through.

Jeff

It is not that I have not looked about but I favor natural /cheap
stuff.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6110867.html


http://www.chelseagreen.com/content/...ight-to-boost-
indoor-food-production/

Thanks Jeff and Billy.

I still think the shading trees must be culled.

I'll do this in small increments striving to get stuff and let other
stuff live. I am constrained by a neighbor that does not have a clue
and my brothers on the left. I can talk my brother into a possible
remedy but I sort of feel even with the "great dimming light " issue it
will be most likely I can grow mostly greens.
Such is life but I do have Tomatoes and Jumbo beans on the verge of
entering my body. Lots of Thyme and mint but I really miss the sun in
some fundamental way.

Any chance of going vertical to get more light? Either vines (pole
beans, or climbing zucchini (http://agsyst.wsu.edu/Zucchetta.html),
keyhole gardens, or hanging pots?
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://radwisdom.com/essays/this-is-your-brain/

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
Bill who putters wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
Jeff Thies wrote:

Bill who putters wrote:
I once tried using red plastic as a means to give the crops more
useful
light.

Something he
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_spectrum

That was in my Dad's garden now gone. So I am stuck with much
shade and a oak scorch disease so I am very reluctant to take out
healthy trees.

So groping for a way to deal with lack of sun was wondering would a
mirror convey the full spectrum for my plants? Or must I cut till
the
plants say OK?
Son broke a large mirror that I have held onto hoping for a use.

Metalized mylar might be a thought, very cheap. Stretch it on a frame,
probably cut some flaps to cut wind loading. Or just cut in strips so
wind can blow through.

Jeff

It is not that I have not looked about but I favor natural /cheap
stuff.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6110867.html


http://www.chelseagreen.com/content/...ight-to-boost-
indoor-food-production/

Thanks Jeff and Billy.

I still think the shading trees must be culled.

I'll do this in small increments striving to get stuff and let other
stuff live. I am constrained by a neighbor that does not have a clue
and my brothers on the left. I can talk my brother into a possible
remedy but I sort of feel even with the "great dimming light " issue it
will be most likely I can grow mostly greens.
Such is life but I do have Tomatoes and Jumbo beans on the verge of
entering my body. Lots of Thyme and mint but I really miss the sun in
some fundamental way.

Any chance of going vertical to get more light? Either vines (pole
beans, or climbing zucchini (http://agsyst.wsu.edu/Zucchetta.html),
keyhole gardens, or hanging pots?

In a way the tomatoes now about 4 foot vertical and beans 2 foot
vertical are trying for more light on their own. Saw the site and may
try some of the squash written about. My patty pans seen like the best
solution is to cascade out of the bed going for surface area.
Taking out a Mangolia this fall and one or two oaks. One is close to
the house but shade gardening was my forte but sun rules with edibles
and I do like fresh picked and I want I want I want.

God maybe I'll spray my plants with D3 KIDDING.

--
Bill S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden
What use one more wake up call?
http://ocg6.marine.usf.edu/~liu/Drif...atest_roms.htm

In article ,
wrote:

Bill who putters wrote:

It is not that I have not looked about but I favor natural /cheap stuff.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6110867.html
Don't know about the feasibility of coating plants with white stuff
but, if you missed it, look he
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink
If those panels were mine, I'd use spray adhesive to stick one of
those shiny mylar "blankets" or even just aluminum foil to one of the
pieces of foam core or whatever that white stuff is to compare the
effects of white vs. shiny metallic.
A few of my beds are light-slighted for a couple of the dim months.
None of them gets enough morning sun, ever, and I've phantasized
reflectors but realities such as durability, stability, wind-resistance,
blah, blah, blah deter and I demur. Maybe, to some degree, masochism
wanes with age. Who'd-a thoughtit. Still, maybe a few "shiny boards" for
Nov-Jan might be nice....

Gratuitous Aside: Isn't that a pretty little garden. It's a stranger to
me. Strikes me as a garden-for-one. As DW sez, "At least they won't be
scared when the squash comes in". LOL

Thanks for the post! The image looks like a shaded area with attempts
to grow food. Greens look happy. Seems the tomatoes on the right are
getting leggy just like mine.
I'm going to do a little chain saw work with East to West 40 ft. swath
priority full sun.

Whew the largest tree on my property is east shade to 11 am. Got to
think reflect on this more.

--
Bill S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden
What use one more wake up call?
http://ocg6.marine.usf.edu/~liu/Drif...atest_roms.htm