A ground cover sheet material, or a netting material, for protecting plants is described. The ground cover comprises: a polymer and a green pigment derived from one or more pigments mixed to form a polymer-pigment mixture with solar radiation reflecting and absorbing or transmittance properties, and at least one additional pigment added to the polymer-pigment mixture which does not significantly decrease the amount of solar radiation transmitted by the polymer-pigment mixture in the range of about 700nm &ndash 2500nm. Using green pigment blocks light for weed suppression and the additional pigment allows for retention of thermal energy. One preferred embodiment uses phthalocyanine green, iron (III) oxide and organic orange.
