Many growers use reflective materials such as mylar or aluminum foil to maximize the amount of light available to plants. However, have you ever wondered how the material reflect light and how you could better concentrate the light reaching the plants?

There are basically types of reflection: Coherent and Diffuse. The graph below illustrates the difference between coherent and diffuse reflection.

Aluminum foil follows the Law of Reflection: The angle of reflection equals the angle of incidence. For aluminum foil to be fully effective in a growing environment it must be free of ripples and bends. The foil should remain flat and smooth in order to fully concentrate the light reaching your plants.