[Lady Lottie]

My council promised me some black polythene (in January!!! ) to cover the site to help stop the weeds growing back.  After them finally ordering the stuff last week, the supplier phoned me today so say they've only got blue in stock - I'm still waiting for the delivery info from them on the black....not happy.

My question is, will blue work as well at blocking the light and stopping the weeds?  My feeling was that there was no way blue would have the same light blocking qualities as black.  Any thoughts anyone?  Its just I'm dreading them coming back and saying the black is on six weeks delivery or something.

Think the blue will look blummin' awful as well (from the neighbourhood point of view) ....seeing as its going over 3.1/2 plots - i.e. the whole site. 

Any comments welcome.

[lucywil]

some cover has got to be better than no cover, could you not double the blue stuff up to make it thicker?

[paintedlady]

I had some blue woven stuff (waterproof) and ... all the weeds survived  .  I suppose it depends on the thickness & density of the plastic sheet as to how much light can penetrate.  The black plastic sheet I use is really more grey than black, but it excludes the light well.

EDIT:  just had a thought - you could lay some cardboard down first, and the plastic sheet over the top of that 

[RichardA]

try another supplier, the blue sounds like damp proof membrane that is used under house floors - perhaps he has a lot left on his hands to shift now house building slowed up. Could double up and I have done that but black is best.
Dense woven fabric would be OK but only if light suppressing -- advantage is also lets water through so no run off problem creating pools in some spots and dry areas in others
R

[paintedlady]

Dense woven fabric would be OK but only if light suppressing -- advantage is also lets water through so no run off problem creating pools in some spots and dry areas in others

Hmmm, think I'll disagree with you there Richard.  The stuff I had used definitely did not let water through, and I ended up with mini ponds loved by all the water insects.  Would make a great ground sheet for a tent 

[Lady Lottie]

try another supplier, the blue sounds like damp proof membrane that is used under house floors - perhaps he has a lot left on his hands to shift now house building slowed up. Could double up and I have done that but black is best.
Dense woven fabric would be OK but only if light suppressing -- advantage is also lets water through so no run off problem creating pools in some spots and dry areas in others
R

That is exactly what it is RichardA and I can't double it up unfortunately - its costing £1200 as it is apparently! :blink:

Thanks very much all.  I think you have just confirmed what I was thinking...that black is best.  Thanks Paintedlady - I will consider the cardboard as a plan B - I just don't fancy having to collect enough to cover 3.1/2 plots! :blink:

[Janeymiddlewife]

We used a blue tarpaulin last year and have a huge display of forget me nots happily thriving under it    so.... back to black!

[paintedlady]

its costing £1200 as it is apparently! :blink:

  blimey.  Is this just for your plot, or several plots on the site? 

[Lady Lottie]

The whole site is only 4 plots, I made a deal with the council that if I cleared a plot I could have one - it was so overgrown as it hadn't been used for 10 years that it just made sense to clear everything so that I wasn't constanlty battling invading weeds.  But part of the deal also, was that if I cleared everything down to ground level (which I did - and it was over my head in places!!!) that they would supply polythene to cover everything up - only half my plot needs covering (the pumpkin patch  ) and the rest of the polythene is for the rest of the site to prevent it becoming The Amazon again!  Except i don't need to tell you everything is growing like wildfire at the moment and I have no polythene so all my hard work looks like going to the dogs.

So I'm a bit miffed.  

[Yorkie]

I can see your frustration.  I'd also wonder what steps the council are actually taking to let the other plots, given waiting lists in general 

[Lady Lottie]

I keep asking whether there has been any interest from anyone...I don't believe the plots have even been offered to people - alright it needs to be someone with a bit of get up and go because they are in a dreadful state but I did it, I'm sure there must be 3 other like-minded people out there.  They'll be even harder to shift if I can't get them covered soon!   I have even offered to show people the plots so the council don't even have to send anyone out!  What more can I do? 

[RichardA]

just a thought - in our area the probation service invite people to make suggestions about the kind of work people on community service (pay back after crimes) should do -- perhaps a bit of digging might be useful and might even interest some of the often younger people involved. Good publicity as well.
R

[Rangerkris]

try another supplier, the blue sounds like damp proof membrane that is used under house floors - perhaps he has a lot left on his hands to shift now house building slowed up. Could double up and I have done that but black is best.
Dense woven fabric would be OK but only if light suppressing -- advantage is also lets water through so no run off problem creating pools in some spots and dry areas in others
R

That is exactly what it is RichardA and I can't double it up unfortunately - its costing £1200 as it is apparently! :blink:

Thanks very much all.  I think you have just confirmed what I was thinking...that black is best.  Thanks Paintedlady - I will consider the cardboard as a plan B - I just don't fancy having to collect enough to cover 3.1/2 plots! :blink:

I just got 2 rolls of black 1200 g for £63 from B&Q they are 4mx15m each roll  surely it wouldnt take £1200 worth to cover your site.  I work for my loca council and they use B&Q

[Lady Lottie]

No idea.  I haven't measured it - the man from the council did (I'm rubbish at that sort of thing... ) and he has ordered it from the supplier they have a contract with....you know what council's are like - all this tendering for contracts and "preferred supplier"  malarkey - if their supplier don't get back to me soon I will suggest he tries B&Q though!  Its so frustrating and by the sounds of it - a blinkin' waste of money as well!!!  They could put the difference towards the path/fence/water supply they have also promised...

btw - these rolls are 4m wide and cover 100m2.