From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

Which do think would be best to put around my young pumpkin plants in the hoop house, to warm the soil faster, and get the roots off to a faster start? I don't use soil heating cables.

5/9/2017 11:02:15 PM

Vancouver Island, British Columbia

I use black plastic myself

5/9/2017 11:14:55 PM

west central IN/East central IL

Definitely clear.

5/9/2017 11:39:18 PM

Colorado

clear will heat the soil more

5/10/2017 12:10:06 AM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

Clear, the sun shines thru it and warms the soil, black plastic heats itself up but does not transfer the heat to the soil as well.

5/10/2017 12:17:01 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

clear....

5/10/2017 12:48:28 PM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

Thank you for the replies. Is there a risk of the soil getting too hot under the clear plastic, that the roots would get cooked?

5/10/2017 4:46:42 PM

aurora, IL

The weather is a big factor too.

5/14/2017 5:05:59 PM

Springfield, VT

Clear plastic will warm the soil better but it will also encourage the weeds. There are other color plastic mulches which pass infrared light but doesn't allow for weed growth.

5/14/2017 9:10:44 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

VT, so what colors are those? Peace, Wayne

5/15/2017 12:57:02 AM

Nottingham, UK

When growing in a tunnel i use Black for warming the soil. But when it gets hot, I flip it over to the white side. I do this as black can emit a lot of heat on sunny days the result being the leaves can't cool and they burn

5/22/2017 3:45:17 PM