Peaceful Valley Farm Supply is a pretty good source for soil staples and fabric, at www.groworganic.com. I've always gotten mine there up until this year, when I needed no fabric and only a few staples. I just bought a few staples from Dripworks along with my drip irrigation order. I use metal ones. The ones I've always gotten from PVFS are sort of squared off on top. The ones I've just gotten from Dripworks are brand shiny smooth new, which is a drawback. They slide out of the ground too easily for my constantly windy field. So I'm only using those for drip tubing and T-tape (the wind doesn't pull on them) and using the old, rusty ones from PVFS for the woven fabric. Even with the old, rusty ones, once I'm done placing them, I find I have to go around and press the staples in with my heel, as hard as I can, or the wind will pull them out. The rusty ones don't pull out as easily as smooth new ones. I place them about every six feet, but smooth new ones have to be closer together.

Jeanne

I know I'm bringing up an old post but.... I recently aquired a huge roll of ground cover. Being of the frugal nature I was shocked to find the price of fabric staples. Even ordering them in bulk, the cost of shipping is ridiculous. I now make them from old wire hangers. I just let people know that I needed wire hangers, and guess what.....They seem to work ok. I make them 6 1/2 inches long. I'm not sure if this is a good or bad thing, but so far it seems to work. I know that they will rust, but apparently they stay in the ground better once they are weathered. Maybe I shouldn't call it frugal...just recycling. Heidi

Funny this subject came up...I just ordered more staples - $36/1000 plus shipping! I use Shaw Fabrics...they had the best prices, weedcloth/staples that I found last year (and this year) (including shipping). They also sent samples of the weedcloth types. I get the 6" x 1" 11 guage and space them about every 4' and sometimes in the middle of the cloth as well. But, my beds are on a hillside, so we have to use more staples or we have weedcloth everywhere.

The key is getting them in, as Jeanne mentioned. I use my heel, a rock, or a mallot, if I remember to bring it with me! And, the old ones stay in better, but the new ones are easier to put in! We always have extras sitting around the field in 2 gallon pots (that way they drain if the pot gets watered!) so we can quickly repair a path if need be.

Good luck!
Wendy

Here is a link that might be useful: Shaw Fabrics

I also have a related question here. Last year I laid down the woven ground cloth and have now got miles of the plastic threads hanging off the ends. I tried folding the ends under and weighting them down with rocks which worked for a while but there again, the wind does a number and it starts to unravel. Do any of you have any suggestions as to how to prevent this. Thanks for any input. Kat