Planter's Paper

Adenn1 · February 21, 2007

Looking through my numerous seed catalogs...I see several that offer biodegradable paper or cloth. One company was selling what they called planter's paper...a black paper material that woudl help warm the soil and keep weeds down.

Anyone use this stuff? Just curious...

**carolyn137** · February 21, 2007

Anyone use this stuff? Just curious...

******
Yes, I used the non-black so called planters paper, just once.

Too bad you didn't speak up sooner or you could have flown into the Albany airport, driven the hour p here and I would have given you the two unused rolls of it that I eventually threw out. :wink:

Awkward to put down b/c you then have to make holes in it to plant plants, and then it got wet and mushy and all sorts of flora grew on it, and it tore, and well, I saw no good use for it.

It wasn't even good to use my crayons and make pictures on it.

That was a one time experience for me and perhaps others just love it to death.

remy · February 21, 2007

Hi Mark,
I use the woven black mulch aka landscape fabric, not the plastic, and not the paper because I had an inkling that the outcome would be similar to Carolyn's. I really like the landscape fabric because it is water permeable, and keeps weeds at bay. I work a lot of hours during the summer and just weeding the flower gardens is tough enough. It is very cheap. I pick it up at Big Lots in the early spring. I use Earth Staples to keep it neat and in place. I of course amend the soil each spring before putting it down.
Remy

Adenn1 · February 21, 2007

I brought this issue up because in the past I have used the black landscape fabric and clear plastic as a means of warming my beds and keeping the weeds down. When I used the landscape fabric, I pretty much left it down during the summer...and just covered it with a light layer of dried grass clippings. The plastic I took up once the weather got warm.

What I don't like about both of the above is having to throw the stuff in the trash. My main goal has to been to warm the soil up to get the tomatoes and peppers going...but I wonder how much these products really do help with soil temperature.

Earl · February 21, 2007

I use clear plastic to warm the soil in my early tomato bed, and then fold it up when done and reuse it. Then I put down black landscape fabric and plant the seedlings. In the fall I remove it and reuse next year. I use to use a propane torch to burn planting holes but decided just cutting a + was better as the flaps snuggle to plant stem and helps keep weeds down. I love Landscape Fabric. But I don't use it for my main season tomatoes because my CRW cages complicates its use.

greggf · February 21, 2007

All landscape fabrics and plastics are handy for hiding snakes and rodents, which then can jump out and induce heart attacks and strokes, before or after they bite you and give you rabies or jaundice or blood poisoning.

On a more positive note, these fabrics make your garden look like a highway construction project.

Yet I use them........some.............when I feel I have to........arrrrrgh weeds.........

=gregg=

Ruth_10 · February 21, 2007

I was eyeing the planter's paper, too. How much is "not much" for the landscape fabric? I have an area about 20'x40' to cover. I need some kind of mulch for weed suppression and moisture retention (we've had some very dry summers the last few years). I have been using paper with straw on top of it for mulch. Straw alone doesn't keep the weeds down enough, at least not at the depths I can afford to use.

Gregg, I did find a baby snake in the straw mulch. And big mama and papa snakes sunbathing on the straw bales in the barn. And my DH killed two copperheads out back this past summer. Missouri has waaayyy too many snakes.

dcarch · February 21, 2007

I have used black plastic trash bags with success.

Get the largest contractor size bags, cut them open to spread out.

They are not expensive and last a few seasons.

greggf · February 22, 2007

I would LOVE to live in Missouri (or TN or VA or wherever) for weather or tomato reasons, but I wonder if things like copperheads or tornados or whatever would wipe out the advantages?

I've used both green and brown IRT mulch, plus some really heavy pro stuff from Johnny's that's almost like cheap wall-to-wall carpet. It's fuzzy on one side.

Every spring, as the wind whips the mulch in my face, as I can't lay it flat in the mud that passes for our soil, and as I think about the cost (dcarch may have the solution) I swear to god that I'll go with bare soil the next season.

But I never do, because this time of year, I daydream about perfect weedfree, warm-soil gardens, and anything looks possible when it's impossible to actually get outdoors and do it.

(We can't mulch with natural materials - grass clippings, hay, etc. - until into July, because it would insulate cold soils, and then they'd never get warm. Yet waiting until July to mulch defeats the purpose of mulching, especially when it comes to weeds.

)

February 21, 2007	#1
Adenn1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Philly Posts: 559	Planter's Paper Looking through my numerous seed catalogs...I see several that offer biodegradable paper or cloth. One company was selling what they called planter's paper...a black paper material that woudl help warm the soil and keep weeds down. Anyone use this stuff? Just curious... __________________ Mark

February 21, 2007	#2
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Anyone use this stuff? Just curious... ****** Yes, I used the non-black so called planters paper, just once. Too bad you didn't speak up sooner or you could have flown into the Albany airport, driven the hour p here and I would have given you the two unused rolls of it that I eventually threw out. :wink: Awkward to put down b/c you then have to make holes in it to plant plants, and then it got wet and mushy and all sorts of flora grew on it, and it tore, and well, I saw no good use for it. It wasn't even good to use my crayons and make pictures on it. That was a one time experience for me and perhaps others just love it to death. __________________ Carolyn

February 21, 2007	#3
remy Buffalo-Niagara Tomato TasteFest™ Coordinator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Z6 WNY Posts: 2,354	Hi Mark, I use the woven black mulch aka landscape fabric, not the plastic, and not the paper because I had an inkling that the outcome would be similar to Carolyn's. I really like the landscape fabric because it is water permeable, and keeps weeds at bay. I work a lot of hours during the summer and just weeding the flower gardens is tough enough. It is very cheap. I pick it up at Big Lots in the early spring. I use Earth Staples to keep it neat and in place. I of course amend the soil each spring before putting it down. Remy __________________ "I wake to sleep and take my waking slow" -Theodore Roethke Yes, we have a great party for WNY/Ontario tomato growers every year on Grand Island! Owner of The Sample Seed Shop

February 21, 2007	#4
Adenn1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Philly Posts: 559	I brought this issue up because in the past I have used the black landscape fabric and clear plastic as a means of warming my beds and keeping the weeds down. When I used the landscape fabric, I pretty much left it down during the summer...and just covered it with a light layer of dried grass clippings. The plastic I took up once the weather got warm. What I don't like about both of the above is having to throw the stuff in the trash. My main goal has to been to warm the soil up to get the tomatoes and peppers going...but I wonder how much these products really do help with soil temperature. __________________ Mark

February 21, 2007	#7
Ruth_10 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MO z6a near St. Louis Posts: 1,349	I was eyeing the planter's paper, too. How much is "not much" for the landscape fabric? I have an area about 20'x40' to cover. I need some kind of mulch for weed suppression and moisture retention (we've had some very dry summers the last few years). I have been using paper with straw on top of it for mulch. Straw alone doesn't keep the weeds down enough, at least not at the depths I can afford to use. Gregg, I did find a baby snake in the straw mulch. And big mama and papa snakes sunbathing on the straw bales in the barn. And my DH killed two copperheads out back this past summer. Missouri has waaayyy too many snakes. __________________ --Ruth Some say the glass half-full. Others say the glass is half-empty. To an engineer, it’s twice as big as it needs to be.

February 21, 2007	#5
Earl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,278	I use clear plastic to warm the soil in my early tomato bed, and then fold it up when done and reuse it. Then I put down black landscape fabric and plant the seedlings. In the fall I remove it and reuse next year. I use to use a propane torch to burn planting holes but decided just cutting a + was better as the flaps snuggle to plant stem and helps keep weeds down. I love Landscape Fabric. But I don't use it for my main season tomatoes because my CRW cages complicates its use.

February 21, 2007	#6
greggf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Boonville, NY Posts: 419	All landscape fabrics and plastics are handy for hiding snakes and rodents, which then can jump out and induce heart attacks and strokes, before or after they bite you and give you rabies or jaundice or blood poisoning. On a more positive note, these fabrics make your garden look like a highway construction project. Yet I use them........some.............when I feel I have to........arrrrrgh weeds......... =gregg=

February 21, 2007	#8
dcarch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NY Posts: 2,618	I have used black plastic trash bags with success. Get the largest contractor size bags, cut them open to spread out. They are not expensive and last a few seasons. __________________ tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato

February 22, 2007	#9
greggf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Boonville, NY Posts: 419	I would LOVE to live in Missouri (or TN or VA or wherever) for weather or tomato reasons, but I wonder if things like copperheads or tornados or whatever would wipe out the advantages? I've used both green and brown IRT mulch, plus some really heavy pro stuff from Johnny's that's almost like cheap wall-to-wall carpet. It's fuzzy on one side. Every spring, as the wind whips the mulch in my face, as I can't lay it flat in the mud that passes for our soil, and as I think about the cost (dcarch may have the solution) I swear to god that I'll go with bare soil the next season. But I never do, because this time of year, I daydream about perfect weedfree, warm-soil gardens, and anything looks possible when it's impossible to actually get outdoors and do it. (We can't mulch with natural materials - grass clippings, hay, etc. - until into July, because it would insulate cold soils, and then they'd never get warm. Yet waiting until July to mulch defeats the purpose of mulching, especially when it comes to weeds. )