Re: Heavy Hitter Help-Soil Heating Cables


On Sat, 11 Dec 1999 Heilmanjon@aol.com wrote:

> As you said, we have been having those cold drizzly springs, and the first 
> month of growth has been slow. I think I will put down plastic. I wonder if 
> clear or black plastic makes any difference.
> Any thoughts from you folks used to colder springs?
> John
> 
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------

We use plastic mulch extensively in our garden in Interior Alaska,
including in the pumpkin patch.  Our experience with clear vs. dark
plastic has been that there's not much difference between clear and dark
(dark meaning brown or black of a kind which transmits some visible/UV
light) in terms of soil warming, but there's a HUGE difference between the
two in terms of weed control.  Weeds grow prolifically under clear
plastic; weeds are almost nonexistent under dark plastic.

Gail in Fairbanks

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Pumpkin-growing FAQ: http://www.mallorn.com/lists/pumpkins/search.cgi
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PUMPKINS
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index