Foiled! Maybe.

[Sweetened]

I end up with leggy, spindly plants every year.  With or without growlights, with the light right down next to the soil and so on -- so I'm changing tactics.  I read somewhere the use of Mylar or Aluminum foil can prevent legginess if you create a grow box as it reflects light, fooling the plants into thinking there's more light than there is.  

Has anyone done or tried this?

[Davinci]

Well, you can fool a raw potato into becoming a baked potato by wrapping it in foil and applying heat. I don't see why this same principle won't work with growing. Tinfoil is cheap, all you can do is try. Do it! Write a report.

[Sassy]

Never heard of it but why not give it a try. I have the same problem. But I noticed that the plants with the bigger leaves (melon, pumpkin) are doing not too bad. I have them in front of my window facing south, and the room can get pretty warm. I spray water 1 or 2 times a day when the sun doesn't shine straight on the plants. Some of my herbs are leggy. I will see. Possible I have to re-start those. 1 of the tomato kinds were stringy but I re-pot them as they got their 4 little leafs. Now wait and see how it will go.

[ooptec]

Mylar or aluminum foil, or mirrors for that matter aren't as reflective as anything white. They say the white side of those grain sausages in the fields are very good.

Leggyness is due to not enuf light or intensity. If using fluorescents try new bulbs, all electrical lights dim over time, quite a bit in fact.

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/used-grow-lights

[Sweetened]

Using what I have on hand, subsequently mirrors and foil -- besides, gives a use to that ugly shelf..? thing... in the basement we inherited when we bought the property and house. I'll put feed sacks on the floor to help reflect light -- I have enough of those around. Oh well, keep trying, I'll get it right some day.

[Ballyrag]

Hey

I don't grow many plants on land but i do grow tons in my aquariums

I use the 6500K CFL blubs from Canadian tire or who ever got the best sale when i need them. I also use T5 High output fixtures

I have experimented with reflectors and made use of my Lux meter

I found tinfoil did not work so well i think because of all the wrinkles and the light reflects all over, I used chrome and sliver spray paint worked better but found the paint peeled after awhile guess it was from the humidity.

I would have to agree with ooptec, when i used white spray paint it was far better then the other ones, unless your buying a reflector that has mirror like finish and angled at around 30-35 degrees  I would just use a white reflector

Another option would be to pick up a light fixture use for aquariums you can get them kinda cheap they use T5 high output tubes you can get them from 6500k to 20000K, the 36 inch tubes use around 39 watts each. LED's may be good but still kinda expensive but use very little power.

I grow lots of fresh water plants and marine corals so im sure you can grow other plants I just never

This is the store i use most for my aquarium equipment

Fixture 1

Fixture 2

I have a bunch of them fixtures

If you have any question feel free to ask

I made some of my own wooden boxs/fixtures used CFL blubs and painted white inside, Google DIY CFL aquarium fixtures , please note they are made to fit on top of an aquarium so it would need some modifications

[prairie dog]

I agree with changing the bulbs , and the lower the better ......I also heard that to nip the tips off so that they get more leafy ? neighbour used to work for a greenhouse

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