Plastic covering on plot - is it a good idea?

[sparrow100]

We've covered a plot on our site with very thick plastic and it will stay that way for at least a year to knock back the horsetail that it's infested with (we don't spray). The next tenant will have a standing chance of managing it, whereas now it would probably be too daunting. The last person gave up because of it. It's weighted down and looks awful, but hopefully will do the trick. I check it every week to make sure it's not coming loose & getting shredded, which would be a royal pain.

[Mark Lottie]

my experience with this sort of stuff is

-Fabric meshes at 150gm or lower are rubbish. They will tear and rot down. They are alright when combined with other things though. They let water in unlike plastic
-Plastic can make the ground underneath be a bit anaerobic - smelly and wet. But it does kill off most weeds if left for a year
-Best option for me is a thick layer of newspaper with hay/straw/grass on top. Killed off most bindweed and couch grass on our plots; even a former manure dump overrun with the stuff.