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Phone App

Discussion in 'Growing Areas' started by CoveLady, Feb 19, 2018.

  1. Feb 19, 2018 #1
    CoveLady

    CoveLady Active Member

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    Location:
    Brevard NC
    Has anyone found a phone app that does a good job of reading foot candles. The one I have seems to me does not work very well. Maybe it's because I have never taken readings before and either don't know how to read it or am not doing it right.
    Any suggestions will be very welcome or help learning what I am looking at. I really want to know what the light levels are in my greenhouse at various places and times.
     
  2. Feb 20, 2018 #2
    Selmo

    Selmo Active Member

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    Location:
    West Central Missouri
    The Baker Culture Sheets site has a sheet on greenhouse light levels. Fairly basic and general in info, but does tell you how you can measure the level with the light meter on a camera.
    We use the old hand over the plant method, if there is a shadow it’s ussally over 2000fc and if it shows no shadow it is under 2000fc. Midday summer full sun light is about 10,000fc, so 2000fc is about 20% of full midday sun. Our greenhouse is covered (March to November) with 70% reflective shade cloth so I would assume that the 30% that gets though is equal to about 3000fc. That would be the amount of light at the top of the house, as you get lower in the house (closer to the floor) the light level would be less. We use a two bench style system, with one bench just above the ground and the second bench 32” above it. We put the higher light plants (shadow from hand) on the top benches and the lower light plants (no shadow from hand) on the bottom benches. With a little trial and error you can achieve almost any light level you need this way.