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tomato experiment
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dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46247
Location: yes
PostPosted: Tue May 17, 22 5:28 pm    Post subject: tomato experiment Reply with quote
    

oh dear

it might work

fish box with drainage and an external waterproof box for robust and tings

= about an inch of swamp

2 toms planted through holes in the lid

we have little light so reflected up may have merit, i am rubbish at remembering water etc, ditto, beasts may not want to find their way in im not sure about that part

 
sgt.colon



Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.
PostPosted: Wed May 18, 22 5:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It sounded good to me. Do keep us posted.

 
dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46247
Location: yes
PostPosted: Wed May 18, 22 5:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

they look better than the last ones

 
sgt.colon



Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.
PostPosted: Wed May 18, 22 5:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    


 
dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46247
Location: yes
PostPosted: Wed May 18, 22 7:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

they are still alive

 
Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15996

PostPosted: Wed May 18, 22 7:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Always a good start. I have to plant mine in the greenhouse as soon as I have cleared the bed.

 
dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46247
Location: yes
PostPosted: Wed May 18, 22 4:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

when they were in the sun they were getting 30% uplight, i need to keep it clean or find a box size bit of mylar

reflected might give a bit of help, it does seem odd that folk have not played outside and low tech light management much

iirc whitewash is traditional, but it seems out of fashion, i have not seen commercial with shiny to harvest some extra sun, indoor tis normal and effective to use shiny below or beside if it helps get the most from the light available

 
dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46247
Location: yes
PostPosted: Wed May 18, 22 4:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

about a m2 of tatty mylar on frames is adding a lot of light where it matters

shades and sunscreen might be wise

they need mending and a few more making

 
dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46247
Location: yes
PostPosted: Wed May 18, 22 4:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

if it moves and should not, tape

 
Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15996

PostPosted: Thu May 19, 22 7:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Sounds a good way to get extra light. Whitewash is matt finish and also was used as much as a disinfectant as for light.

Although our first house was red brick, it reflected heat and light into the back garden and dried the washing in just an hour or two in summer. Could grow outdoor tomatoes there, but cooler where we are now, so not quite a long enough growing season outside.

 
sgt.colon



Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.
PostPosted: Thu May 19, 22 7:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Don't forget the pictures please DPack.

I got my tomato plants in the greenhouse yesterday. This year I'm growing Belarusian heart, orange banana and green zebra. We've only tried the orange banana before so I'm very excited about the other two.

I have done some hanging basket ones as well but I can't remember what those are called.

 
Slim



Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)
PostPosted: Thu May 19, 22 10:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Commercial outdoor production on plastic mulch often plays with colors and other thoughts on reflectivity. Red plastic can marginally boost tomatoes. White helps to keep roots cooler but also more light reflectance. Black stripe down white is getting more popular, warm the roots of the young seedling then shade that part with the plants canopy when it's bigger (and the weather is hotter).
"Silver" plastic mulch reflects light, but the reason it's chosen is to mess with thrips and delay their entry to a crop.
"IRT" plastic blocks visible light that would germinate weeds under the plastic, but let's infrared through for more soil warmth.

 
Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15996

PostPosted: Fri May 20, 22 6:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Didn't realise there was so much to using plastic mulch. Not sure about that, but plastic less popular over here for some things. Think farmers are also having trouble getting rid of their plastic too; at least they were a year or two ago.

Managed to clear the greenhouse and get my tomatoes in yesterday too.

 
Slim



Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)
PostPosted: Fri May 20, 22 9:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Yeah it's still controversial here, at least among the organic folks.

 
NorthernMonkeyGirl



Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder
PostPosted: Fri May 20, 22 10:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I've gone for throwing a large number of seedlings in and hoping one or two survive (unlike the squash plants....)

Really interesting about the different colours, I hadn't considered anything beyond dark compost absorbing heat / white walls reflecting light.

 
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