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Ohio

I'm thinking of putting this under my plant this year. Do I need to be worried about it being black? I know they make the same thing that is white on one side, would that be better?

3/10/2023 1:55:27 PM

Syracuse, NY

I dunno, but I did use regular WeedBlock
Material under the plant of my 2003 Haist in '20 and simply enjoyed the weed-free-ness of it on my weigh to 940.6;
I did not cover the entire area with it - only about 10 X 10 feet but it was neat and 'cool' to grow on initially. Not sure at all about the color making it too hot or not.
I immediately thought of Mr. McMillin (off by just an 'o') here and his weed fabric gala;
see from here to the end, at least - veddy intedesting! eric g

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=332900

3/11/2023 4:28:10 PM

Grittyville, WA

I think you'd want to use the white side, more light on cloudy days less excess heat on hot sunny days. But idk.

3/11/2023 11:39:12 PM

Brooktondale, New York

I used black woven fabric for approximately 6x12 on each side of the main on the two plants I grew last year. My observations were full sun day time temperatures well above 120 degrees Fahrenheit, second although water can penetrate through it seemed slightly hydrophobic, third you must punch a hole in at every node, which is extremely time consuming and frustrating. While poking holes I was compacting soil. Last of all, try to bury a vine with a shove full of dirt. The next day you have a dried pile of dirt on top of your black fabric that does not retain enough water to promote the second root formation. Overall I was lefted with a bad taste regarding this technique. Although I had no weeds, I felt it delayed rooting thus a slower growing plant that was more sensitive to drought. I remember many nights stabbing holes with a head lamp getting eaten alive by mosquitoes. Once again these are my observations only, please use them however you see fit. Some people love it. Best of luck with witch ever path you choose.

3/12/2023 12:45:08 AM

Salem Ohio

Here's my thoughts after last season, Its does have some positive and negatives. Negatives are up front cost, time putting it down, taking it up at the end of season, tons of landscape staples used, vines can blow over in wind easier and require staking and burning and cutting holes at every node. BUT I do believe the positives greatly outweighed the negatives at least for me. I WILL BE USING IT AGAIN THIS SEASON.

The completely weed free patch at the end of the season was enough to make it worth it for me! BUT There were many other positives such as vines and roots that were 100% healthy at the end of the season. The soil didn't dry out as much from wind and sun and was requiring less water and if we happened to get one of those rains that absolutely floods everything, some of the water would run off of the top and keep the soil from becoming a soggy muddy mess. Also along that line there was no dirt splash up from the rain on the vines and leaves. I do feel the overall conditions of the soil were healthier and easier to control under the weed fabric than without, but it does require some extra time on the front side of the season as stated above.

3/12/2023 2:44:29 PM

Syracuse, NY

Sorry, McMillin, to prompt you, but if the below-mentioned item
is not what you used, perhaps being on the same page, literally,

Berggren, might be advantageous:

SEE *visual* PAGE 29, SCROLL-TO PAGE: <31/84>

https://www.dewittcompany.com/2023-catalog/

If it was anything other than this black and white material,
it may be/have been different for different users.

If you have a sec, are 'we' discussing the same product?
Sorry to appear nitpicky, lol---eg

3/12/2023 11:00:58 PM

Syracuse, NY

Couple points - the material appears to be discussed more-in-detail on the next page or two and if you select the full-page icon and type IN the 31 as the page #, it goes right to it.
Now, for ME to look at Floating Row Covers. eg

3/12/2023 11:06:06 PM

Syracuse, NY

Greenie, in re-reading your post, I am very cost-conscious and will most-likely get the basic 4-foot-wide X 50' or 100' Vigoro stuff
(be sure it has the 'Micro Funnels'!) from Home Depot, stretched to whatever length I might need and overlapped on the long edges with the green fabric pegs every so many (4, 6?) feet and be happy with it. There are also 100-foot lengths available. Maybe I'll grow narrower, longer plants in '23! Hmmm...
I had no problems with weeds and 5/8", 4-foot X 16" walking boards for vine management excursions are essential. I doubt that this stuff resists any persistent vine rooting under a heavy pile of compost or basically-surrounding dirt.
I do believe it is not biodegradable so it can be pulled up and used again!
Later--eric g

3/12/2023 11:49:59 PM

Roselle, IL GJGEM@sbcglobal.net

Weeds will still get light and grow under your basic weed block material. I use this stuff. https://www.aquascapeinc.com/products/geotextile-underlayment-roll . Weeds dont grow under it. I agree with Mcmillin on the negatives and positives. I will cut larger slits in the fabric and cover the leaf nodes with more potting soil this year

3/13/2023 10:03:27 AM

Syracuse, NY

I have BEN told that it is the same material as is depicted in
McMillin's diary, whereby it is detailed quite clearly in a large paragraph in that diary along the weigh! I should read what I recommend that others read, lol.

George J - Thanks for pointing that out, as although I didn't have many nor hardly any except around the edges of my supposedly 10' X 10' area, I DID have a tomato patch in about 2004 or so that had a HUGE mound growing under its then WeedBlock surface - Nothing a little Roundup didn't cure, butt you know, really close to the plants!
Later--eric g

3/15/2023 2:02:30 AM

Bethlehem CT

Has anyone done a comparison on the growth differences in the pumpkin plant with the white vs. the black. I would think the white would really push growth with all that reflected light bouncing off the mulch.

3/15/2023 9:57:55 AM

Syracuse, NY

We'll leave (lol) that up to Mr. McMillin; Maybe just peel it apart, lol;
I have some Reynolds Wrap I am not using until I get the grill going,
and even then...Maybe the theme song of my own bugs could be
'Blinded By The Light';
Meanwhile, we can also research why the underside of a leaf is lighter green than the top of it is. Ummm, hence, the leaves could actually be made to look differently upon having been sunlit more effectively from all that reflectin'? Hmmm...
So, I Googled it and used this query:

top of a leaf darker why?

...and it brought me a great deal of reading -
It seems that the upper surface has more chlorophyll and a waxy coating and the underside is less prone to ultraviolet rays and has the stomata on its surface, accounting for what my initial thoughts were in reference to the amount of sunlight being put onto the leaves' surfaces and the color/texture difference(s).
Oh, the mysteries! later---eg

3/15/2023 5:51:03 PM

Grittyville, WA

bigmoon, I think the issue as Matt Debacco told it, is that if its sunny out for a full day then there's already way more light than plants need or can possibly use.
But if sunlight was the limiting factor, say in a spot that was half shaded, I do think it would give the plant a boost.

3/15/2023 6:57:11 PM

Syracuse, NY

Wowwwwwwwwwwww...I grew my 301.5 in the same, semi-shady spot
2 years in a row and it had HUGE leaves on it trying to compensate for its shady character;---
Maybe I should keep all this in mind when planting. eg

3/15/2023 7:55:38 PM