Mirror?

Hello chums

My garden is west facing, and has an 8ft hedge at the bottom. The far end of my greenhouse is around 3ft from said hedge. This means that as the sun passes over, the greenhouse gets more and more shaded (in fact, quite dark) resulting in tomato plants that are 'leggy'. I was wondering if putting in a mirror might be worthwhile? At the near end of the greenhouse the sun doesn't go down until much later in the day. What do you think?

Cheers...Freddy.

 

An image to show the problem...

 

I've actually got a few old mirrors down one side of my garden greenhouse.
I've let it get overgrown, plus the neighbours trees shade it quite a bit.
One end of mine is only used for growing shade loving plants.

I think it might work if you can get big enough ones.

 

Thanks Pete.

I was thinking that a mirror placed high up would reflect the most light (middle section) if I angled it downwards. From what you say it would be worthwhile to perhaps put some mirrors in the next section down?

 

Well you can only give it a try.
Not sure mine do much as they are only about 18ins square and at low level on the shaded side.
Of course if you do actually get light from one side, just not direct sunlight, you could perhaps end up causing more shade at certain times of the day.

 

Mirrors are what stealth gro op weed guys use. If it works for them... plus I have reflective material all round my indoor winter seedling area. Seemed to do okay for the kelsaes

 

Why not try emergency foil blankets instead of glass mirrors as they are cheap, reflective and durable.

 

I've just chucked out 2 big mirrors we had hanging around in the shed.
My mum suggested them as a garden feature but I was too worried about the birds flying into them, seeing the reflection of any sky. Not a problem if you were going to use them inside the GH. I would probably go down the foil route personally.

 

Call me daft, but I find it hard to believe that foil would be as reflective as a mirror?

 

Just an aside, When I was a TV engineer I used mirrors at home so I could see what was happening, when I was working in the back of the TV

I found I could get excellent mirrors extra large from Auction houses for, at the time 50p now they are a pound each
After house clearances etc at the auction no one wants a twenty year old wardrobe from MFI so they are going to the tip, each has a great mirror attached

 

Hiya WOO

Yes, I had considered moving it, but two things. Firstly, it's quite old and might not be that easy to disassemble without damaging it. Secondly, it would mean having to completely rearrange that part of the garden, not just the plants, but having to rip up concrete. On balance, it's probably not worth going to all that trouble just to increase tomato yield.
Thanks anyway

 

I had thought about that too. To make it worthwhile I'd probably have to cut it down quite considerably. That would be fine but for the unsightly old and rotten chicken sheds just the other side of the hedge.

Thanks again

 

my main thought by looking at the picture is the actual greenhouse interfering with the beautiful display at the front. I would not add mirrors. I would incorporate the tomatoes somewhere in the garden if you think they can do well (because myself I like the look of the plant) or take them indoors.