From: J & D Goldman (jmgoldma_at_dwx.com)
Date: 10/02/02
Message-ID: <004901c26a79$cb5f4240$59dececf@gateway> From: "J & D Goldman" <jmgoldma_at_dwx.com> Subject: Re: Omega Garden - High-density gardening for small spaces/urban farming Date: Wed, 2 Oct 2002 20:11:22 -0500
Well, as a horticulturist that has dealt with artificial lighting for
plant growth for years, my gut impression is this is an inefficient
system. If you are going to expend energy moving something, it makes
more sense to have a large planting and move the lights. However, for
small plantings, you'd be amazed what you can accomplish with 2 to 4
cool white florescent bulbs. If you get into crops that really need
light, then you need lamps with higher intensity and efficiency.
Actually, a lot of work is being done with LED's now and other types
of light sources. Since the intensity of light drops off very fast
with distance (I = 1/d^2) how do you adjust for plant height with this
thing?
Sure, this is a neat rig to look at, but I wouldn't want to support it
with my $$$, I'd go a different route if I had to make money or eat
cheap. Not to throw a wet towel on innovation - it might make a great
gimmick for a salad bar if you really liked you greens "just picked"
and had very limited space.
-Dan G
-----Original Message-----
From: c.knight_at_juno.com <c.knight_at_juno.com>
To: bewise_at_hypertech.net <bewise_at_hypertech.net>
Cc: domesteading_at_bootstrap.sculptors.com
<domesteading_at_bootstrap.sculptors.com>
Date: Wednesday, October 02, 2002 5:12 PM
Subject: Re: Omega Garden - High-density gardening for small
spaces/urban farming
>> Not that we don't have nice sunny days, but the number of crude
>> hours of
>> sunlight are usually insufficient to produce vigorous "sunlight
>> loving"
>> greenhouse crops without supplementing the ambient light.
>
>True, but even a "cloudy day" in the Ozarks will bathe an
>exposed Omega garden with FAR more light than almost any
>artificial source, no matter how close to the plant it's located.
>
>That's my point. It looks like the plants are supposed to grow
>towards the light source, which is fixed at the center of the drum.
>If we introduce another variable, the overhead sun, what will
>that do to the growth of the plants?
>
>I'm predicting all the growth will still face towards the center of
>rotation, but try to grow out the ends of the drum -- towards
>the point where natural sunlight would enter the system.
>
>Might make for an interesting experiment...
>
>On a related note -- artificial light is expensive, and of inferior
>quality to natural light. Even assuming a "tube of light" is
>required for this system, I wonder if a light pipe system
>funneling in natural light for the daylight hours, would serve the
>needs of the Omega garden?
>
>Light pipes are relatively easy to design.
>
> -- Chuck Knight
>
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