How to maximise light and heat

Lots of the books that I have read on permaculture seem to be biased towards hot and sunny locations. I live in the North East of Scotland at altitude and lack of water certainly isn't a problem for me  However, we don't get much sun. What can I do to maximise the light and heat in my garden. I can't put in a pond to reflect the heat as I have 2 very small children so it would be dangerous and it would also be a breeding ground for midges.

Rock walls or piles that run east-west can provide shelter against the north wind and soak up heat. If shorter finger walls run off that to the south, it creates U-shaped nooks.

there is tons of info im permaculture books and others about suntraps.

look to sepp holzer and his methods as well.

i live in zone4/5 Michigan USA..

sun and heat are needed here as well

I use a small greenhouse for tomato and sometimes pepper plants in the summer and i grow greens and salad crops in it in the winter, also works well to use coldframes if you have a way to keep them watered..drip irrigation works best for that.

raised beds ..sometimes are helpful, esp if you can irrigate with drip or get enough water.

i plant fruit trees on slopes around the house so that frost drains away or in hugel beds in my perennial garden areas.

you can use reflective surfaces and walls, reflective mulches, foils, white paint..etc..or you can also use things that will soak and retain heat like dark surfaces, rocks, tiles, etc..

water can also be used to store heat like in barrels

buy the hardiest produce you can find..shop by zone.

Brenda Groth wrote:
you can use reflective surfaces and walls, reflective mulches, foils, white paint..etc..or you can also use things that will soak and retain heat like dark surfaces, rocks, tiles, etc..

Thanks for the advice. What can you use as reflective mulches? Also what is the best way to use things like rocks - where would I place them?

aluminum foil, white plastic, red plastic might work too. Use white painted or light colored walls behind plants. Medium to larger size rocks can be place at the base of a more tender plant and it will soak up and hold sunlight and let off condensation into the ground as well..

another thing that is helpful is wind protection esp in cold areas..wind sometimes is more of a problem than the cold itself.

you also can make like a leanto for your plants facing south..use old materials of some sort braced up at an angle off of the ground to deflect wind, reflect sun and basically buffer the elements..but remember if you cover over any plants with that or coldframes etc..you will have to provide water.