Cheap Alternative To Reflective Mylar For Indoor Gardens

[MrTweetyhack]

nice find

[PhilLesh69]

I stumbled on this idea 10 years ago when I was not really all that knowledgable, and abandoned it after one crop of tomatos. I thought I had a bad idea, but now I'll reconsider.

It's certainly cheap, and I even had red and blue mylar wrapping paper for veg and fruit phases.

Not to mention, you could buy a lifetime supply after christmas or at a dollar store, for about what a 10x25' roll of panda film costs. And you can change it out anytime it gets a little crinkly.

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

I looked in a couple stores and couldn't find any Mylar wrapping paper. :( I found a couple that were shiny but were only paper on the back side. I'll keep my eyes peeled next year.

I'm really surprised by your reflective results. Flat white paint more reflective that emergency blankets? Why flat white, wouldn't gloss white paint be even more reflective?

I heard foil was bad as a reflector especially if it is not perfectly smooth but it works excellent for blocking light.

[memberHD]

@FenderGibsonWashburn Flat white is best because it diffuses the light. Shiny surfaces and cause the light to get concentrated at certain points. This can cause less light gettting back to the plants and/or hot spots which will burn the plant (most common with crinkeled mylar)

[dnatypro]

Great idea why didn't I think of that as I stood in Wal-Mart staring at rolls and rolls of aluminum foil?

[19Photographer76]

Thanks for the tip! Now, reading a comment by @simplysimpleveggies and your list, you forgot one of the best features of the C3 anti-detection film, it's 90% infrared proof. I doesn't matter if we are all growing vegies, if the feds think its something else, it will be a bad night and we won't get re-imbursed for damages.

My grow room is 8' x 12' and the celling and walls are painted with eggshell white paint. There are differing tones of 'White'.

[SleestaksRule]

@19Photographer76 Yeah, I'm surprised I haven't gotten a knock on the door yet. Especially when I have 2 400watt going at the same time. Maybe they don't scan my area.

[PhilLesh69]

@19Photographer76 That's why you need to invite your neighbors in to see your garden. So nobody gets any funny ideas about what you are growing.

[ArizonaAdventures]

now I like this :) time to grab some up at a few of these sales. Thanks for the idea!

[rotoclip]

great finish on the vid,i'm sure that was one of your kids under the plastic/mylar -right!

[simplyfreshveggies]

Did you know that white paint will reflect just as much light as mylar? I saw a test where someone used a luxmeter.

[SleestaksRule]

@simplyfreshveggies I've been reading up on the different reflectors and got this:

Foylon: reflects 95% of the light

Mylar: reflects 92-97% of the light

Flat white paint: reflects 75-85% of the light

Emergency Blankets: around 70%

Aluminum Foil: no more than 55%

Panda Film: The white side is 75-90% reflective

C3 anti-detection film: 92-97% of the light

I thought the emergency blanket would have done more and same for aluminum foil which is pathetic. I'd like to test them.

[Mr420ways]

hell yeah brother hell yeah!!

thanks for posting this im hittin up the stores today!!

[DesertBigfootSteve]

Awesome!

[GardenNewbie]

Look at the styrofoam in my newest vid, i found some new stuff too, its styrofoam with a shiny side, It was $25 canadian for a huge bag of it that im guessing would do between 40 and 60 square feet, it was huge!

[Helioforge]

That's much better than cookie packaging! mmmmmm, cookies!

[mhpgardener]

Now thats what I call a BRIGHT idea ! :-)

[Teddybearcop48]

Very good. THANKS!

[kbgrowkid420]

even better is panda film. wont go back to mylar

[memberHD]

@kbgrowkid420 but people need the shiny.

[kbgrowkid420]

@memberHD .. It definately reflects the light back very well and is much easier and more stable and doesn't crinkle which can cause hot spots.

[SleestaksRule]

@kbgrowkid420 yeah, I was just reading about it.  Panda film works well as a reflective film (reflects 90% of the light striking it back to the growing area) or as a room partition.

[gardenvespers777]

Great idea about the mylar! I hope I its not too late to find some of that!

Its amazing how they mark that stuff up depending on what they decide to call it!

lolllllll oh noes!!! The monster found its way into the basement!!! quick save the Tiny Toms! lol

[mediamaker2000]

Very cool! 2 mil wrapping paper. Hmmmmmmmmm... Did it come from one of the big box stores? If that ghost moving around so all the plants get some light? LOL

[fozzythemexican]

great tip. thank you

[johnatncsu]

Do you have a suggestion for the search criteria at Amazon? I tried but could not find as good of a price there as you obtained. Thank you.

[deadman12078]

@johnatncsu Try a local dollar tree or walmart

[SleestaksRule]

@johnatncsu I tried to find it online but no luck.

[JaxRL]

Great idea! Thanks!

[ARTnSKIN]

Great idea!!

[garygardens]

Great and economical idea. How can you tell in the store if a roll has the shiny back? Hope mine comes with a monster...

Regards, Gary

[SleestaksRule]

@garygardens The label said polywrap. It's shiny on the front too just with a printed pattern so shiny front=shiny back.

[baconsoda]

You really are going to have to get that monster/alien/ghost situation sorted out because you must be getting a bit fed up with them by now. We aren't... we are loving all your troubles and hope they continue.

Best Wishes, Brendan.

[SleestaksRule]

@baconsoda Thanks. I have to deal with so many nasty things that other people don't have to deal with while growing plants. I'm used to it though.