Showing posts with label foil light reflector. Show all posts
Showing posts with label foil light reflector. Show all posts

Wednesday, 22 April 2009

A tip too good not to share !

I don't know if you watched the BBC Gardeners World last Friday ? and for those of you abroad who can't get it anyway you might like this very handy tip. Ms Alys Fowler, one of the gardeners on the programme and author of "The Thrifty Gardener" (great book by the way) gave a great tip for growing seedlings on windowsills. I'm sure it's happened to your seedlings when they start to grow they stretch to the light from the window and they have to be turned every so often. Apparently according to Alys this weakens the growing plant and makes it spindly.
She made a light reflector by cutting a cardboard box so that it had a low side,( the front) and on the high side (the back) and base she stuck on some silver kitchen foil. This cleverly reflects the light and makes the growing plant straighten up as it's getting light now from front and behind it.

I personally didn't have a box or the time, so I covered a piece of cardboard with foil, I just tucked it around and didn't stick it down. Then I put the pots into a windowsill propagator base and stood the foil reflector behind the plants and the base held it in position. The plants as you can see below are now lovely and straight and no need to turn them.
It worked for me !


My big shed is up and we have given it a coat of Ronseal rich red cedar ( the previous owner had done 3 sides in this colour) I probably would have chosen a rich brown,but it looks good anyway. I have painted the door a bright blue and also the fascias over the eves front and back, it looks great,and is so spacious. We have put up shelves and tool hooks, I love it. I will post a photo soon.

The wallflower border is now in full bloom and smells so lovely and looks amazing, not bad for £2.99 for a big pot last autumn, then split up and grown on in individual pots before planting outside. Bargain !!



Without the foil reflector, plants stretching to the source of light.



With the foil reflector, plants nice and straight, not bending over.

The Wallflowers outside the lottie greenhouse in full bloom.