looking for red landscaping cloth

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Does anyone know where I can purchase the red landsaping cloth that I've read about? The article said that your tomatoes will be bigger and better grown on it. Has anyone had experiences with it?

-- Anita Nielsen (atnielsen@egl.net), April 01, 2000

Answers

what your talking about ( i think ) is colored plastic, like black plastic mulch. Different plants react to the reflected light from different color plastic. try a landscape supply center

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), April 01, 2000.

For red plasticulture you can obtain the red reflecting mulch from Harris Seeds at 1-800-544-7938, fax 716-442-9386.

-- greenbeanman (greenbeanman@ourtownusa.net), April 01, 2000.

gardens alive! 5100 Schenley Place, Lawrenceburg, In. 47025; 812-537- 8650; fax-812-537-5108. They sell organic garden products including Turbo-Tomato Mulch (red plastic). Their catalog has a $20 coupon, $5 more if you order more thatn $35. (ex s/h) good til Ap. 26.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), April 01, 2000.

Go to the "Older questions" and find under "uncatagorized" the mention of Plastic mulch vs Landscaping cloth. There's some info there. I have had astounding results with red for certain plants, and I don't think it's smoke or mirrors. I am still in the experimental stage, but red seems better under certain circumstances for some crops. I'll try again this year. If you haven't found what you're looking for from above postings, e-mail me and I'll give you what I know. Good luck!

Brad

-- Brad (homefixer@mix-net.net), April 01, 2000.


I attended a market gardening class taught by the U. Wisconsin ag dept, taught mostly by actual market gardeners (both organic and not). They had all tried red plastic mulch when it was first introduced. They found that under their conditions it didn't make a difference - I think they only tried it on tomatoes. They also found that plastic mulch was not easily re-useable, so ended up being a huge disposal problem. Another example of "organic" not being the same as sustainable. All that aside, try Rainflo irrigation if you want it (717) 445-6976, a 2400ft roll is $80-100 depending on thickness. Good luck.

-- David C (fleece@eritter.net), April 02, 2000.


Interesting differences of opinion. Before I bought and used the red plastic mulch for my tomatoes I did some research and found quite a few university research studies that indicated it worked to increase the yield, size and earlier maturity of the tomatoes. I planted some rows using the red plastic and other rows with the usual compost mulch. The difference, in favor of the red plastic, was obvious. At the end of the season I picked up the plastic, cleaned it off and stored it for this year. I just looked at it and it's in good shape.I don't even have to cut the holes in it! My source: Ken Bar, Inc., 25 Walkersbrook Drive, P.O. Box 504, Reading, Mass. 01867-0704 1-800-336-8882 Good luck! Paulette

-- paulette mark (kiwi333@ipa.net), April 03, 2000.

Check out Pinetree Garden Seeds, phone:207-926-3400. Website: superseeds@worldnet.att.net. Of the 3 catalogs I found red plastic mulch in, they were by far the cheapest and their shipping charges aren't too bad. Pinetree is in Maine.

-- Peg (jnjohnsn@pressenter.com), April 03, 2000.

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