Tinted plastic sheet-no good?

[crazy_red]

Hi peeps,

I have a large, plastic shower curtain that I would like to recycle if possible.

It is completely transparent but it's blue rather than clear. Could I use this for cold frame, cloches, etc., or would it cut out too much light out or cause a problem?

Red

[Snadger]

One of the guys at the allotments has put blue tinted corrugated plastic sheet on the roof of his wooden framed greenhouse!

He grew smashing tomatoes last year!

[Two_Sheds]

If it's not UV stabilised, (or whatever the term is) then it will disintegrate into a million pieces ... like those biodegradable carrier bags that start to degrade on the bus journey home.

I edged all my beds with Poundshop plastic edging a while back, and I am still picking shards of it out of my soil. Same with a QD tarpaulin ...

[crazy_red]

If it's not UV stabilised, (or whatever the term is) then it will disintegrate into a million pieces ... like those biodegradable carrier bags that start to degrade on the bus journey home.

I edged all my beds with Poundshop plastic edging a while back, and I am still picking shards of it out of my soil. Same with a QD tarpaulin ...

I know how you feel! I have a snowstorm in my greenhouse because the bubblewrap wasn't the stabilised sort.

I've no way of knowing if this plastic is treated or not, so I suppose I will just have to try it and see.

My main worry is that blue tinted light might upset the plants in some way or that it might reduce the intensity of the light getting through and make it too shady in the already low light levels in winter.

[crazy_red]

i think the warmth will benefit the plants more than the lack of light will hinder them ..... i'd use it, cos i don't think plants have temper tantrums ....

Hmmmm, haven't met my broad beans have you?

I will give it a whirl, nothing ventured and all that...

[Two_Sheds]

Broad beans are hardy, they don't need protection, except from very severe weather... and then I would use net curtains or debris netting as it is permeable.

I wouldn't use plastic at all - it's liable to make them too sweaty, leading to fungal infections. It will also harbour slugs and snails.

[crazy_red]

Lol, I think we're all at cross purposes

I meant my broad beans have temper tantrums, I wasn't going to use the plastic for them.....they are sulking in my ice bound greenhouse..

I was considering making a frame cloche or maybe using it in my cold frame lid, as the glass got broken and it's only got net in the lid at the moment.

[Two_Sheds]

Tell you what you can use it for Crazy ... lay it on the soil for a couple of weeks in late winter to warm up the ground for sowing

(now you'll tell me you don't have ground, only containers ....?)

[BrideXIII]

Lol, I think we're all at cross purposes

I meant my broad beans have temper tantrums, I wasn't going to use the plastic for them.....they are sulking in my ice bound greenhouse..

I was considering making a frame cloche or maybe using it in my cold frame lid, as the glass got broken and it's only got net in the lid at the moment.

well it should be ok for a cold frame lid, till it falls apart, or as TS says, lay it on the ground.

[crazy_red]

Tell you what you can use it for Crazy ... lay it on the soil for a couple of weeks in late winter to warm up the ground for sowing

(now you'll tell me you don't have ground, only containers ....?)

Errrr, now you come to mention it...

[plantsbypost.com]

Just thought i'd mention that tinted plastic is actually used commercially.

You won't be able to deal with this company, but anyone wanting a read see here for the blue polythene they produce,

SmartBlue

I have to say we haven't tried it as I haven't the guts to risk the stock.


Neil

[crazy_red]

So, it might actually help prevent etiolated seedlings.

Looks like the broad beans may be heading for the blue plastic after all

[crazy_red]

hark at red ....... methinks someone swallowed a dictionary

Yup, it was the RHS abridged version, couldn't manage the full edition.......