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covering plants with clear plastic

Liberty SoftWash · Feb 20, 2012

I dont use plastic,just rinse real good. A few times on a big home i have set up a sprinkler.

MJ · Feb 20, 2012

We use blue tarps with expensive plants, large leaf plants, Japanese maples, some evergreens, we over-hydrate first, dilute any over spray, and remove tarps asap, we rinse down any left on tarp.

Tarps are not always needed, but a little precaution around the pricey stuff makes me sleep a little better. Dilution, is your best protection, next to not spraying things that your not cleaning.

Feb 20, 2012

Clde are you going it alone this year? I don't use plastic either, but water heavy cover shrubs then depending how hot it is lift after twnty miutes or so soak again and repeat. Remember the sun will get it cooking under there.

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Roof Cleaning Long Island N.Y 516-763-4108 wrote:
Clde are you going it alone this year? I don't use plastic either, but water heavy cover shrubs then depending how hot it is lift after twnty miutes or so soak again and repeat. Remember the sun will get it cooking under there.

why would you wet the plants before covering? that makes no sense to me?

Roof Cleaning New Jersey · Feb 20, 2012

We used plastic alot in 2010. We had much more problems when not covering. Zero problems when it was covered. When your done on that section, remove plastic. It would be easier to explain plants dying as a result of covering then it would be explaining that they died because we didnt cover. We started using plastic as a result of me writing out checks to cover damaged landscape.

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Roof Cleaning New Jersey wrote:
We used plastic alot in 2010. We had much more problems when not covering. Zero problems when it was covered. When your done on that section, remove plastic. It would be easier to explain plants dying as a result of covering then it would be explaining that they died because we didnt cover. We started using plastic as a result of me writing out checks to cover damaged landscape.

I agree with you Ed. that's why I want to start covering the plants. do you wet them first or not?

MJ · Feb 20, 2012

We just give them a pre-spray to protect them in case of when we move the tarps, if anything rolls on them, and we pre-hydrate so the roots will soak up the H2o and not be thirsty. No leaf damage, no root damage, no complaints. It take's a few more minutes.

Roof Cleaning New Jersey · Feb 20, 2012

I do wet them first a bit. Then I rinse them before I take off. Even with the plastic on there's still a ground guy watering. If your alone its nice because you dont have to keep running up and down when you think you may have gotten some overspray. But it sucks working alone.

guest

Roof Cleaning New Jersey wrote:
I do wet them first a bit. Then I rinse them before I take off. Even with the plastic on there's still a ground guy watering. If your alone its nice because you dont have to keep running up and down when you think you may have gotten some overspray. But it sucks working alone.

no I am not working alone, I think that is the stupidest thing a roof cleaner can do is work alone.

Roof Cleaning Cleveland (216) 323-0552 · Feb 20, 2012

Clyde for a while I was using black plastic. No problems. It would only be on the plants for 5-10 minutes tops. Most of my time is spent waiting for the ground guy to keep up. The plastic sped us up a bit but was to much a pain to keep using.

Maverick Contracting · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America

They make heavy duty white plastic for covering plants when doing lead paint removal. Reflects the sun so as not to burn em look into it

guest

good Idea, they use white shrink wrap to cover boats here in jersey

larrykilby · Feb 21, 2012

Clyde,

I do the same as MJ, delicate plants and or possible problem areas where this is no gutter, I water before and after tarping. I do not tarp anything unless I think I need to. I use red tarps.

Jason LWRC · Guest

Tarps seem to hold up really well if not used every time, they also seem to rinse off and clean up a lot easier than bulk plastic. I personally like the ability to use bungee cords in the eyelets to keep them snug to prevent runoff from ponding up.

-- Edited by Jason LWRC on Tuesday 21st of February 2012 02:34:46 AM

aaron61 · Guest

I use 3 mil plastic in the 200' x 20' rolls. Buy it in bulk for my painting biz anyway. The HO's love to see it on there landscaping especially out front. Use it all the time with no problems.
Many have said...."the other guys didn't even bother covering our plants!"
Makes for good referals :)

Mr Maintenance · Feb 21, 2012

Great thread on the plastic!! Im still not sure what I will be doing, but i plan on keeping a roll on my truck!! Still a great thread .

Maverick Contracting · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America

I'd avise away from clear plastic, even black is better. Clear lets UV in and bakes the plants. White reflects the UV and keeps the plants significantly cooler. But at 4-6mils its totally reusable and being polyethlene usually its compatable with SH

Feb 21, 2012

I don't cover the plants, the ground guy has to know what he is doing and you should not have a problem. I have a guy who sprays the roof whos great,hardly any over spray. Then I got a guy whos horrible and sprays like a mad man. Im the ground guy 99% of the time and I have no problems, any thing dies its on me. This Season I will do a video on the proper way to water without covering the shrubs.

Maverick Contracting · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America

Yeah I think sittin out on the lawn in a chase lounge hosing down the shrubs is a better gig than being up on the roof itself wink

Less stress biggrin

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