Plastic mulch

History

Cost

Planting

Plastic mulch is a product used, in a similar fashion to mulch, to suppress weeds and conserve water in crop production and landscaping.

The red color actually increases stem strength

History

The idea of using polyethylene film as mulch in plant production saw it’s beginnings in the mid 1950’s.

Cost

These costs include equipment, the plastic film used as the mulch, transplanters designed for plastic beds, and additional labor during installation and removal of mulch films.

Hoophouses used for growing of transplants

Planting

Planting also requires specialized planting equipment. The most common planting equipment is a waterwheel type transplanter. The waterwheel transplanter utilizes a rotating drum or drums with spikes at set intervals.

Plastic mulch-layer and cultivation equipment are important components of the Upper Forty farm machinery.

Potatoes coming up through a black plastic mulch. The plastic keeps the ground warm, and it keeps the moisture in, and the weeds at bay.

What is a High Tunnel

A high tunnel is a solar heated, manually vented, plastic-covered cold frame that is used to lengthen the traditional growing season for many horticulture crops.

Tomatoes are most commonly established in the high tunnel by transplants.

Staking and stringing of tomato plants will improve fruit quality and early marketable yield.

Pruning tomato plants

Panda plastic mulch clear

top with black sides.

Organic strawberry field: variable plant vigour due to no fumigation. Yields less than 1/ 2 conventional.

Sweet, sweet potato success for northern growers!

Plastics used in agriculture can be recycled through:• Mechanical recycling - for agriculture materials that are

still in relatively good condition

• Incineration/ Energy Recovery Processes - because plastic has a high calorific value (i.e. polyethylene films from greenhouses) this can be an excellent option in many communities.

To preserve food

for a very long period