Why grow through Mypex?

A video taken in early May 2010 showing various plants growing through Mypex. Mypex is a black fabric that is tough and allows water and air to pass through, but not light. So it works as a weed-block, conserves water by minimizing evaporation and, since it is black, it allows the sunshine to warm the ground thus stimulating growth. Since it is a woven plastic material, the holes are cut using a blow-torch. This seals the cut. If one cuts it with a knife or scissors, it would start to unravel and fray. I want to re-use this for many years to some - it is quite expensive and wasteful otherwise.

In this video, you can see the ground-nuts beds - they grow up the bamboos. Also, strawberries, goji berry bushes, potato, rhubarb, gooseberries, raspberries, sage. And some thyme a friend lent me. It is good to be living off borrowed thyme.