# Black plastic vs. landscape cloth



## Up North Louie (Nov 29, 2007)

I am considering putting my tomato starts in a black plastic mulch affair-- cover the ground, poke a hole, put in plant.

I figured I would run a soaker hose underneath the plastic, and just leave it there for the duration.

Would I get similar results with the black landscape fabric, which, I believe, would allow rain water through it, reducing my need to water?

Thanks,

Don


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

The black plastic will heat the soil more. In my garden, weeds will grow through the plastic more easily, especially if I poke holes in it to allow water to run through. I use landscape fabric on my paths, but don't need the extra heat for my tomatoes the plastic would give me so I don't use it much now, especially since - I have never found a snake under the landscape fabric - they love the plastic.


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## Loriann1971 (Sep 1, 2005)

We just put down the fabric and planted our tomatoes in that...then we ran red plastic under them...between two rows...this leaves and opening for water to get in but also (in theory...we will see) is supposed to increase our crop. The red is supposed to reflect up fooling the plants into producing more. This is our first year trying this, so we are curious to see how it goes...if nothing else, our garden sure is colorful. LOL

In my experience fabric keeps the weeds down better than plastic, but black plastic is great for warming the soil and letting you get an early start in your garden.


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## culpeper (Nov 1, 2002)

Black plastic is a curse! Not only does it prevent the soil from 'breathing', it doesn't allow water to penetrate, and it actually encourages weeds to pop up wherever there's a break in it because of the heat it generates. Then there's the problem of digging after you've put it down.

Weed mat is just as much a PITA. Weeds still grow through it, and roots get tangled in it and when you want to dig later, it becomes your worst enemy.

Much better for your soil, your plants, and your temper is natural mulch.


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## farmergirl (Aug 2, 2005)

Callieslamb said:


> The black plastic will heat the soil more. In my garden, weeds will grow through the plastic more easily, especially if I poke holes in it to allow water to run through. I use landscape fabric on my paths, but don't need the extra heat for my tomatoes the plastic would give me so I don't use it much now, especially since - I have never found a snake under the landscape fabric - they love the plastic.


Where did you buy the landscape fabric? I'm thinking I'll need some soon and my garden area is HUGE! I saw rolls of it (4 ft by 50 ft) for $18 at Home Depot this weekend. Yikes!


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

I seen on a garden show that if you use red ground cover around the tomato plants you'll get a better crop. I haven't tried it, but it sounds interesting.

I hate landscape fabric. It rots in the ground and it's a PITA to dig it all up. It gets in the way when you till the following season. It's okay for an area that you will never be disturbing the soil again, but I'll never use it in a veggie garden.


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## fretti (Jun 30, 2007)

Spinner said:


> I seen on a garden show that if you use red ground cover around the tomato plants you'll get a better crop. I haven't tried it, but it sounds interesting.
> 
> I hate landscape fabric. It rots in the ground and it's a PITA to dig it all up. It gets in the way when you till the following season. It's okay for an area that you will never be disturbing the soil again, but I'll never use it in a veggie garden.


Ditto with 100% of the above!

BTW. Here's a link to the red plastic. I'm trying it for the first time this year.


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## holleegee (Mar 3, 2005)

fretti said:


> Ditto with 100% of the above!
> 
> BTW. Here's a link to the red plastic. I'm trying it for the first time this year.


I used that red plastic last year (I used my gardens alive coupon)

Weeds still grow under the red plastic because sunlight passes through it.


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## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

We used the landscape fabric last year on a large part of our garden. Some weeds grew right through it, the ones that didn't grew up and stretched the fabric and looked rather unsightly.
Then in the fall it was a PITA to pull up.
We will not be using it in the garden again.
Never tried black plastic and personally I don't think I ever will. 
Mulch is the answer.


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## Aeirios (May 31, 2007)

Using fabric in one garden this year, and loving it! Doin a good job at keping the weeds down. I have spent at most a few hours a week for a 100x150 area. Was much much more last year. Am hoping at the end of the season i can just go through with the brush trimmer, whack everything down, roll the stuff back up and use it again next year. Another garden spot am doing the straw mulch. Is going so so there. Main aggravation with it is that my dog and chickens love the straw:duel: Do have alot of issues with spouts from the straw, but is pretty easy just to fluff it and ad more to make it deeper.


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## fretti (Jun 30, 2007)

holleegee said:


> I used that red plastic last year (I used my gardens alive coupon)
> 
> Weeds still grow under the red plastic because sunlight passes through it.


I'm not using it to prevent weeds. I'm using it because the reflection off the red is supposed to stimulate growth and ripening. Did it do that for you?


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## holleegee (Mar 3, 2005)

fretti said:


> I'm not using it to prevent weeds. I'm using it because the reflection off the red is supposed to stimulate growth and ripening. Did it do that for you?


I'm not sure if it helped stimulate growth or ripening. I bought it for that reason also but it was a pain in the rear because the weeds grew underneath it and you had to carefully reach under it and pull the weeds. Snakes also loved it to sun themselves.


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## DoubleD (Jan 28, 2007)

In some parts of the world (mine for example) organic mulches just provide a breeding ground and home for slugs and keep the soil WAY TOO cool in an area that is heat challenged to begin with. For heat loving crops such as peppers, squash, and tomatoes the only possible way to get a good and year to year consistent harvest is to use plastic to warm the soil and reflect heat back up to the plants. I use plastic that is designed for that purpose - i.e. it traps and reflects heat. If the bed is really well cared for ahead of time (i.e. it is a bed that regularly receives attention and is not overly weedy as a result) the emerging weed problem underneath is essentially a non issue. 

I am using the red plastic this year for my tomatoes. Hoping it increases production. So far I am finding that the tomatoes are thriving despite the very chill/damp spring we have had to date.


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