• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • r ranson
  • John F Dean
  • Timothy Norton
  • paul wheaton
  • Jay Angler
stewards:
  • Pearl Sutton
  • Anne Miller
  • Tereza Okava
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
gardeners:
  • M Ljin
  • Matt McSpadden
  • Megan Palmer

Garden wall color: white, black or gray?

 
pollinator
Posts: 197
Location: Oh-Hi-Oh to New Mexico (soon)
52
  • Likes 5
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
My organic garden abuts the back of my garage which is cinderblock and absorbs and then radiates heat throughout the day. I plant my tomatoes there for that reason.
It is currently a light gray color and I'm thinking of painting it a more reflective white, because the garden  is partially shaded until about 11AM and so I thought this might help all the plants.
I'm also considering black to absorb more heat, but as it is, it seems to do a pretty good job of radiating the days stored heat now.
Anyone have experience with painting a wall white and if it makes a difference to the plants?
 
master steward
Posts: 13904
Location: Pacific Wet Coast
8217
duck books chicken cooking food preservation ungarbage
  • Likes 5
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I've been told that white makes a difference, by someone who's Dad did a lot of growing. However, that doesn't mean the suggestion was accurate, as I suspect they were following popular advice which may not have "before and after" back-up. However, my friend specifically said that the value of the white reflecting light was greater than the value of having the wall black for heat absorption.

That said, if you also want to improve the heat retention, and you don't need the heat in the garage, insulating the garage side of the blocks might be worthwhile to consider.

What I have experienced myself is that the glare off white surfaces is hard on my eyes, so I would consider whether you or others would experience that, as it might impact the final decision. The plants will only be covering the wall for part of the year?
 
Rusticator
Posts: 9276
Location: Missouri Ozarks
5012
7
personal care gear foraging hunting rabbit chicken cooking food preservation fiber arts medical herbs homestead
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
If you're going to always(out at least frequently) grow your tomatoes there, you might actually want to consider painting it red. Tomatoes, according to some studies, apparently do substantially better, with red surroundings. I don't understand why, but I have to admit, last year my tomatoes did much better than they have in the last several years - and for the first time, I'd planted them in giant red tubs...

If you're set on black or white, consider the summer heat, where you are. Over heated tomatoes don't do well, for me, and need more frequent watering, to survive. If yours need more heat in the summer, I'd go with the black. But, here, mine would wither and die, before noon, the first hot day.
 
I'm thinking about a new battle cry. Maybe "Not in the face! Not in the face!" Any thoughts tiny ad?
permaculture bootcamp - gardening gardeners; grow the food you eat and build your own home
https://permies.com/wiki/bootcamp
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic