worm20

Dateline: 10 April 2013

How to Make & Use 
Solar Pyramids

(click  on pictures to see enlarged views)

This is a solar pyramid in my garden. I have planted a single Tommy Toe tomato plant in it.  Take note of the size of the two tomato plants behind and to the right in the picture. The Tommy Toe inside the solar pyramid was the same size and planted at the same time.

This is a picture of the exact same solar pyramid as shown in the last picture. See how the Tommy Toe has grown so much larger than the tomatoes behind it, that were planted at the same time. Seeing is believing. These solar pyramids are absolutely amazing!

This picture shows you the support poles and ring of  bicycle inner tube that serves to hold them together.

Here you can see the pole placement template on the ground, with the poles set into the notches in each corner. The center hole is to go around your plant.

And here you can see how the pole placement template is designed to fold up so it can be easily removed once the poles are in place.

This picture shows the cover in place. Notice that there are  semicircular flaps on each side. The flaps get covered with soil.

Here you can see how the support poles are arranged at the top, and the top opening. 

A view down into the top of the pyramid. That's a very satisfied tomato plant growing in there.

Another view into the solar pyramid. The tomato is growing lush and healthy.

Here are a couple of zucchini squashes I started by seed in solar pyramids.

This shows the zucchini with the cover removed. The plants are perfect specimens.  No insect damage!

Here's one of those zucchini a few days later. It's off to a great start in life. 

When I'm done with the poly covers I wash them off and hang them to dry on the clothesline, then store them away for next year.

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There's a row of 4 solar pyramids over 4 tomato plants. Once the  plants are off to a good start, they will grow up on a Whizbang T-post trellis span.

And there are the tomato plants that grew so remarkably well in the solar pyramid environment. 

Important Information...
It is very important that any plants grown in solar pyramids be hardened off, as discussed on page 9 of the book. If you fail to properly acclimate the plants to environmental conditions outside the pyramid environment, the plants will be stressed. Please don't forget this.

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To get some superstrong woven poly for making solar pyramid covers can be purchased from Northern Greenhouse Sales.

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If you would like to get a copy of the book that inspired me to create this solar pyramid idea, click here: Solar Gardening: Growing Vegetables Year-Round the American Intensive Way

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This is Laeander Poisson, author of Solar Gardening, with some of his Solar Cones (my inspiration for solar pyramids) that are made with Sunlite HP solar glazing.

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If you would like to make Solar Cones, ClickHere to learn more about Sunlite Hp glazing.