growing plants with reflected light

[ppp]

coffee and ginger are understorey plants aren't they?

[philbobaggins]

Wow,
Plenty of food for thought reading your comments. Big Thanks! We`ve just completed the first phase of the project, which involved putting 6tons of gravel, 12tons of soil and 6tons of compost onto the concrete slab at the bottom of the `hole`. It was a terrific day of work altogether. The soil was dropped in by a 22 meter long crane in 1 ton bags, and we managed to get all the growing medium, two trees (12 year old perssimon and 10 year old uguisu kazura berry) a 4 meter juneberry and some blueberries down in the one day! Thanks to Michi, Suesan, Toru and company! We are letting the soil settle over this coming week of spring rain and plan to plant a few more trees to espallier along the south-facing wall, and another 80 species or so of perennials and self-seeding annuals (mostly edibles and medicinals) along with a mixed covercrop of legumes. We are also planning to experiment with stretching mylar along the walls to reflect sunlight into the darker sections of the garden. We are also hoping to raise a family of japanese quails in the garden to provide eggs and control bug populations. We will keep you updated on how we go. We hope to incorporate many of the ideas you were kind enough to suggest. Thanks again!

[ppp]

that sounds very impressive! please send us photo's!

[Michaelangelica]

coffee and ginger are understorey plants aren't they?

Yep I think so.Certainly in the tropics although possibly not at ginger farms at Buderim Qld
Why have Buderim Ginger shares dropped by 70% of late?

Folowing my own advice I purchased some Corsican Mint yesterday and have planted in the cracks of paving. I have never had a lot of luck with this plant. Is there a secret? Does it like it dry or limey/gypsumy?
I will get some matting thyme seeds when I work out which one is fragrant and/or useful.

I found a bit of broken mirror in the "Garage" (AKA 'Rubbish heap'- no car has ever seen the inside of it. Strange how we store $100 worth of crap in garages and leave a $10-$60,000 car outside))
Anyway I set it to reflect the last rays of light on my most recent attempt to grow sage. This time I have gone for a coloured & variegated form.
It may be a better form of Salvia officinalis to grow--invariably they die here in humid February). I got the felling that the little sage said "Thank you".

I have a lot of large aluminium cans. Is there away of making them highly reflective?

[philbobaggins]

Michaelangelica,
perhaps you can cut open your aluminium cans and use the reflective surface inside.
You would most certainly want to be wearing gloves!

[Hamishmac]

Scrunched up tinfoil, or a chocolate bar wrapper, can be used to scour the parabolic bottom surface of tin cans into a highly reflective mirror. (Apparently) it concentrates the sun's rays enough to start a fire, so best not point too many of them at your sage!

Hamish

[Michaelangelica]

Scrunched up tinfoil, or a chocolate bar wrapper, can be used to scour the parabolic bottom surface of tin cans into a highly reflective mirror. (Apparently) it concentrates the sun's rays enough to start a fire, so best not point too many of them at your sage!

Hamish

MMM
What's parabolic about the bottom of a tin can? Do you mean the can cut in half?

I tried stapling a couple 8' lengths of aluminium cooking foils to a shed wall with staples. One is off with the recent weather. Perhaps some sort of glue would be the go. They used to make expensive metal wallpaers. I wonder what sort of glue they used? Superglue would be too expensive.I am not sure where the light went that the aluminium reflected.
(BTW Superglue was developed during the Korean war & used in MASH type units to save time sticking wounded soldiers-they just glued them together )


I saw a couple of c.1M x 35cm mirrors at K mart tonight I can't remember if they were $30 or $50 .
What if you sealed the sides and back of those with that stuff they use to seal terracotta pots with?

This is interesting perhaps :?:

EuroMir™ (Acrylic) Mirror is a high quality, European grade mirror with a P.E. mask and tough back-coating that reduces scratching during fabrication. Available in 12 colours ex-stock., this durable acrylic mirror is ideal for slatwalls, point-of-purchase displays, casinos, children's toys, cosmetic displays and for applications in the food service industry.

Available in thse sizes and colours:

SILVER 2mm 2440 x 1220
SILVER 3mm 2440 x 1220

http://www.allplastics.com.au/03/produc ... ylics.html

Done Burke has a Garden Mirror project but attached to Marine Ply which costs an arm and a leg
http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/factsh ... rrors/2328

The solution proposed by Garcia Hansen and her supervisor Dr. Ian Edmonds was a system that captures and reflects sunlight into a hollow mirrored pipe, which can then be reflected into the deep office space at the required locations.

“One of the greatest difficulties was how to capture the sunlight efficiently since the sun constantly changes its position in the sky during the day and over the seasons,” says Garcia Hansen. “Most systems use complicated and expensive sun tracking systems. Our solution has no mobile parts, and is completely passive, therefore reducing operation and maintenance costs. We realised that a simple device known as laser cut acrylic panels, would passively redirect sunlight inside the pipe. This reduces the number of light reflections along it, thereby increasing the performance.

“An important innovation of our system is that light can be extracted at any distance and at multiple points along the pipe, up to a distance of 24m. Commercially available light pipes for residential use can only reach up to three metres and have only one light output.”

The light pipes can be adapted to building designs and can be vertical – collecting light from the roof - or horizontal – collecting light from the facade. With interest growing from international architects, the next step is to build a prototype – scheduled for later this year.

Garcia Hansen believes the light pipes will provide a cost-effective, energy efficient solution that will enhance the well being and productivity of workers.

http://www.infolink.com.au/n/Pipes-brin ... rs-n760564


Stainless Sections
Email Stainless Sections Printable Version

Stainless steel mirrors
Stainless steel mirrors from Stainless Sections have been used as an integral component for the TS1 Zoo Booth at Healesville Sanctuary.
Got a Question for Stainless Sections?
Enquire Now
Visit Website
Stainless Sections
Tel: 02 9604 4555
Fax: 02 9757 2166
39-43 Sammut St
Smithfield
NSW 2164
Visit Website Enquire Now
Update these details
Close

The Innovative TS1 POP UP/LIVING flat-pack living unit presents a fresh approach to building and offers noticeable advantages. Stainless Steel Mirrors on the exterior of the building reflects its natural bush surroundings, creating harmony between the structure and its environment.

Stainless Sections Mirror No8 Stainless Steel Sheet can offer good reflectivity and is suitable for such end uses.
19/01/2009

http://www.infolink.com.au/c/Stainless- ... ct-n821123
http://www.stainlesssections.com.au/

[Hamishmac]

Michaelangelica,

Aluminium soft drink cans usually have a concave bottom, unlike food cans. Perhaps I should have been more specific. Videos are available on youtube.

Hamish

[ho-hum]

Philbo,

Congratulations on being part of this project. Check the temperatures at the base and on the walls of the garden and compare them to the external temperatures. With it being inclusive in a building that will be heated/cooled etc you may be able to sneak in some real surprises like orchids on walls or staghorns etc.

If you are going to put a permie garden into an art gallery I would put an emphasis on beauty as well. Epiphytes, and there are hundreds, would break down the starkness of the walls and could be suspended there on fishing line and superthin wire. I always planted marigolds and nasturtiums in with my vegie patch for my kids and myself but I always suspected the carrots and potatoes liked having them around too!!

Just my 2c worth.

cheers,

[Michaelangelica]

I wonder how silver paint would go? Such as something from an auto shop?

Sorry ,would you beleive 9andalf and I do all this on dial up! So no utube for us!

on kids gardening an interst of mine (have you seen the new roll out of Stephanie Alexander's programme across Oz?)
I was always told not to plant carrots in rocky soil as you get funny shaped carrots.
When reading a book about kid's gardening (by jackie French?) it suggested putting rocks and other barriers in you pots-so that you GOT funny shaped carrots
Why should the kid's have all the fun!!
PS someone also sufggested planting radish with you carrots for some unknown reason -better germination?
BTW
It is a myth that carrots help night sight. A myth started by the british secret service- but that's another story