I picked up 2 x 1,000' rolls of the stuff at auction for a very good price but I don't use it that much because I rototill my garden with a large Honda walk behind rototiller, the fabric is problematic, particularly because I sow my garden from seed and small transplants that I grow in my solarium in the winter. I do use it in my ornamental gardens though and it works well there.

@Surfpirate The blueberry growers just used black plastic sheet that doesn't even let the rain through. I think the one I saw relied on water flowing down the sloping bank behind the plastic.

@FrayedBear I've seen some gardeners using black plastic and red plastic, it's supposed to heat up and cook the weed seeds as well as providing a barrier and I believe the red plastic is supposed to do something for tomato plants.

@FrayedBear I hate visqueen used in that manner. It becomes more of a nuisance over time because grass roots, etc grow under it. Then you have to ripe all that out to get the roots. Bad idea!

@AstralSmoke I've noticed that and worse I have runner grass grows out into the light and develops 3 foot long snakes - they are easy to pull out though I'm only talking of a small area. A friend suggested using a weed wand with chemical in it... I havent checked out what disaster he has been trying to gravitate me into.

That's Elliot Coleman's Market Garden, he has written several books on 4 season gardening without using any heat. I think his whole farm is less than 10 acres in Maine. His daughter has followed in her dad's footsteps as well which is nice to see.

The blades are interchangeable on mine, one slightly shorter than the other for getting into tight spots between plantings. It is a very sharp blade that slices easily through the roots of the weeds so you have to concentrate or you will lop off some of your plants as well. It's more like waltzing with a hoe through the rows of plantings and takes very little effort compared to conventional hoes which are more of a hacking and chopping sort of tool.