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Re: Bill's theory on the superiority of clear plastic

>Bill DeWitt said,
>>        Clear is better and here is the reason. Black plastic absorbs sunlight
>>and turns it into heat... in the plastic. Right on top of the plastic
>>where the wind can blow it away.
>>        Clear plastic absorbs very little of the light. Most of it is passed
>>into the soil, heating it. Then the plastic acts as an insulator,
>>keeping the heat in.
>>        I've tested it and have gotten almost a 30` difference.

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According to Univ. of Florida studies, black plastic does more to warm the
three inches of air above the soil than it does to warm the soil. The black
color sheds about 60 percent of the heat absorbed into the air. That's why
they say to use clear plastic for solarization.  But, that air warming makes
perfect sense when you are trying to give tomato transplants a start.
Doreen Howard

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