Clear vs. black?

[geol]

I recently heard that clear plastic ground cover is suppose to be more efficient for warming the soil/holding heat than black. This goes against everything I had always heard. Can anyone confirm about clear vs. black for this? Or is there something else better?

[Dunkel]

Here's a link that describes it.

http://home.cogeco.ca/~allan/clear_plastic.html

[MtnMaters]

Great article, Dunkel. I was going to go with black for melons, and am tickled that clear works better. I have a whole bunch of the clear out in the barn!

[SelfSufficient1]

I read this article lately too but I am not sure warmth is a problem here in GA, still I might try it on a few rows and see how it goes.

[clay199]

Will the clear plastic keep the weeds down as effectively as the black plastic?

[geol]

Now I hear that red plastic is the way to go.

[valereee]

Apparently olive plastic will warm as well as clear and keep the weeds down as well as black. I'm trying it this year.

Here's a description:

http://www.ken-bar.com/srmolive.html

High mowing seeds carries it:

http://www.highmowingseeds.com/produ...&cat=61&page=1

Val

[Emaewest]

Apparently olive plastic will warm as well as clear

So, I wonder if Glad garbage bags would suffice? They're pretty much olive coloured. I was looking at using black paper mulch this year, since my neighbour used it last year with great results. But my garden plots are fairly small, and a garbage bag, cut open, would just about cover one.

[Dunkel]

Clear plastic won't prevent weed growth, but when the weeds sprout under the plastic they are smothered and cook. So in a way your are solarizing your soil while growing in it. If you do as the website suggests and seal all the plastic edges with soil or sand it will stay nice and warm under there.

[KCMO_Don]

What about beneficial soil organisms?
Won't it either kill them or force them to "relocate".

[Goddessemer6]

I've read articles about using silver mulch, which is just silver plastic. It's work just like all the other colors as far as heating up the soil. But "it discourages insects that like to hide on the shady underside of leaves. They get confused when they see light coming from below and go somewhere else." (quote from sweet tomato test garden) Worth a try as far as I'm concerned!