Wacky Idea To Ripen Fruit Fast

Okay, I live in San Francisco so we don't get a lot of heat because the ocean on 3 sides tends to cool down the temperature with its winds. We do get sun though. I would like to grow pomegranates, but I figure they will require some heat to sweeten fruit. Now, I've got a wacky idea. Not sure if anyone tried anything like it before in cool areas.

What if I were to hang up a mirror, and concentrate the light directly at the fruit tree leaves or fruit? Would that amplify the light enough to stimulate better growth and better tasting fruit production?

Perhaps the intensity of the light can speed up photosynthesis, and lower the daily light hour requirement for full sun. I'm thinking that some of the light energy might even warm up the area of the tree.

Let me know if anyone tried it before, and the results. This would be interesting. I'll try this once my garden is established. I'm planning to put in 17 different kinds of fruit trees (preferably something I can't normally buy at a store, and will grow in SF.)

The following thread was started by Jonathan on September 27, 2005 at 1:22 am PST

There's a story that the Peruvians have been doing that since the ancient times with polished gold parabolic dishes pointing sun from the sunny side of the valley over to the dark side.

You can buy a white plastic called Panda? the indoor hydro guys use it, well it's like 90 something percent reflective you can lay that under the tree, it will take some time for the undersides of the leaves to adjust to the light so build up to full power slowly but that will work too

The above followup was added by Jason on September 27, 2005 at 6:21 am PST.

I'm not sure that the heat you feel from light really counts towards making a plant warmer, like when you are moving a mirror around outside in the summer you can feel the double burn just like sitting infront of a wood fire when it reflects on you but does it warm up a plant the same way? I don't know. I've thought about it alot but havn't tried it out yet

The above followup was added by Jason on September 27, 2005 at 9:32 pm PST.

Using a regular mirror would be difficult because the the sun moves, and the relection angle will vary with time of day.
A parabolic shaped mirror would work much better.

Now where do I get a parabolic dish, or where can I buy this white plastic you mention?

The above followup was added by Jonathan on September 28, 2005 at 3:44 pm PST.