Re: [CH] Black plastic

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Hi Rich,

Here's what I did last year, it requires a little planning but it's worth 
it.

Instead of black plastic I purchased some landscaping fabric.  It's a 
little more expensive than plastic but it's porus which allows water 
and air to reach the roots and inhibits evaporation which conserves 
on the watering.  They say it's also reusable for three years which 
spreads the initial cost out a bit.  Before laying the fabric down I 
planned out where I was going to plant my rows and buried soaker 
hoses.  I belive the combination of the soaker hoses and 
landscaping fabric cut my water usage in half and the only weeds I 
pulled were directly around the bases of the plants where there was 
bare soil exposed.  During the spring and summer I spread my 
grass clippings over the top of the fabric and in the fall when I 
pulled up the fabric I tilled in all the clippings.

All in all it was the most maintenance free garden I've ever had.  
Watering was a snap, every three days I just turned the water on 
for an hour or so.  No sprinklers to move or hoses laying around to 
trip on.

Tim in Kalispell

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• In reply to: Rich McCormack: "[CH] Black plastic"
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