Flooding plasticulture

10 years ago

We switched over to plasticulture this year. Why you may ask, to save on irrigation water lol. Of course this is the wettest spring summer ever that I remember. Over 30 inches of rain since April 1. In years past we always had to irrigate and did that with sprinklers. This year we are using drip tape. We have only irrigated/ fertigated once because of standing water in the field.

Over the last week we have gotten 3 and 5 inch rain days. So now we are flooding. I am confident that if we wouldn't have done raised beds we would be ruined for the year.

My question is we stratigicly laid the field out to hold some water, but am thinking this may be too much. I have standing water everywhere and am thinking about using the skid steer to drain it. Is there any reason I shouldn't do this??

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
10 years ago
I wish you could share your problem. We have had less than .5 inches of rain since June 3rd. On June 3rd we had a 1 inch rain. We are bone dry. 1/2 inch to 1 inch cracks in the yard and garden, the yard is crispy brown and dry. We have been keeping ahead of the watering with drip and plastic mulch helps retains the moisture. Enough about my problems.

I would leave the water alone, it will soak in. Of course I don't know how severe the standing water is. We put in all our beds across the hills to "Terrace" the water in and to control run off. This way we keep the water and get it to soak in instead of running off.

Is more rain called for? If so, it might be a good idea. But I don't know how much damage it would cause to your ground.

Sorry I can't help much. We just haven't had that problem, wish we did.

Jay
Rio_Grande
Original Author
10 years ago
I know we are better off with water than without. I kinda want to leave so when mid July arrives and there is no rain for weeks at least it will be in the ground.

I am new to the plasticulture thing, plants look good but I am concerned I am going to screw it up somehow.
Related Discussions
Getting melons up early: black+clear poly results
Q
Comments (19)
Wayne: My second planting of Star Brite is almost too vigorous. I may have applied too much nitrogen at planting. But they'll settle down soon and put on a big bloom. Where do you get the IRT 100 and what sizes do you use? Will that warm the soil more than black poly? Are you using clear poly cloches over the IRT 100? I'm planting my melons in level basins surrounded by dikes about 6 inches tall. This allows flood irrigation once a week. If it's hot with no rain the plants need irrigation once a week or they quit growing and in a few days start to lose leaves. I also need to apply more nitrogen once a month or growth stops. Last year I had Star Brite from the same hill from June 20th until the end of October. The quality was great throughout. Do you get any foliar disease? We do during the rainy season: August and September. It's some kind of leaf spot and will really knock the leaves off if not sprayed. I'm not sure what's the best spray. I like seeing your posts. Let me know how you are doing.
...See More
Welcome to the Drought Forum!
Q
Comments (34)
On plastic mulch: "Plasticulture is the study of the use of plastics in agriculture. Covering mulch with wide strips of black plastic to raise soil temperature and inhibit weed growth is a widely accepted practiceÃAmericans use about 200 million pounds of plastic mulch each year. Recent studies suggest that, although black plastic mulch provides marked benefits, other colors may offer even greater yields. Professor Orzolek has shown that most plants have a particular, and sometimes peculiar, color preference: ÃTomatoes are partial to red, potatoes favor pale blue or white, and turnips donÃt think orange is too bad.Ã Internal pigments, called phytochromes, serve as chemical Ãeyes.Ã By reacting to different spectra of light, they signal the plant how best to use its resources. Some colors promote root growth, and others can increase fruit and vegetable yields by as much as 30 percent. The Center for Plasticulture is at the very forefront of colored-mulch research, but a few of the lessons theyÃve learned can even be applied to a small backyard garden. Some of the colors are still in experimental trials, but rolls of red polyethylene mulch covering, suitable for tomatoes and strawberries, are available from major garden-supply companies." American Society for Plasticulture
...See More
Good ideas from this year to share....
Q
Comments (5)
I am too tired to think about things I have learned this year and so on but I will say as to certain things selling at market and other things not- it is all placement. Customers are either stupid or blind. Whatever you feature prominently will sell and the next week will not. Last week, as you saw from my pics, I put peppers and eggplant together in a basket out front and center and almost sold out of peppers for the first time ever. I had even better ones this week but chose to put the tomatoes out front and center and so the eggplant and peppers didn't sell so well. Anyway, my point is when I see Jay's list of 'these crops sell well and the rest don't' I just wish it was that simple. I had 2 or 3 requests for rutabagas this week after bringing them week after week and bringing them all back home. Arrggh. So just when I try to bring less items and feature a few and not so many, the customers ask for stuff. I hate not bringing something I have in the garden.
...See More
Some Observations
Q
Comments (37)
BTW Dirtdiggin, I think rambling is very understandable when it comes to trying to figure out how to do best in this business! It ain't Field of Dreams. If You Grow It They Will Come. Nope. So brainstorming and putting in a lot of thought are important. Watching, reading, listening. I think it is hardest on farmers who are not close enough to a metro market. You somehow need to farm in farm country but sell in the metro. I wish I could look into the future and see what I end up going with or how I specialize. It would be a big step to grow for restaurants and lots of season extension but that is where my interest lies. I mean I watch Food Network all the time! LOL. I also think about specializing in certain crops and selling wholesale. Being a single farmer would make that enticing. A Whole Foods is sleighted to open 30 miles away. I always said if a Whole Foods opened there I would quit at my part time grocery job to work there. It would be cool to specialize in certain produce and then just sell right to them when I go to work. I suppose I would have to get certified though.
...See More
Rio_Grande
Original Author
10 years ago
I know we are better off with water than without. I kinda want to leave so when mid July arrives and there is no rain for weeks at least it will be in the ground.

I am new to the plasticulture thing, plants look good but I am concerned I am going to screw it up somehow.
Rio_Grande
Original Author
10 years ago
As I figured, went from water standing between every row just over a week ago to bone dry this week! Still trying to catch upon the weeds.
myfamilysfarm
10 years ago
I don't think you can ever get ahead of those weeds.
jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
10 years ago
I have learned that a weed wacker is a good friend. Well that is if you don't have vining crops planted in the plastic mulch! I planted a very weedy area to peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes. I have always fought weeds in this area. Most years I plant, weed, weed, weed, and mow off. This year with the plastic mulch, I have planted, weeded once by hand (around the plants) and weed wacked all the pigweed. I hope to have some nice late bell peppers, eggplant and tomatoes.
Rio_Grande
Original Author
10 years ago
Doing the exact same thing. My stihl 095 has been getting a workout. I trim as close as I can. Still have to do some weeding around the tomatoes and cucumbers but the rest isint bad. But with 800 foot of cucumbers, tomatoes and squash, I am eternally behind.

I have watered twice in the last week, that isint normal.
Rio_Grande
Original Author
10 years ago
On an up. Side the potatoes just needed water today. Noticed a slight curl to the leaves today so pour the water to them.

Flooding plasticulture

Comments (8)

jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)

Rio_Grande
Original Author

Related Discussions

Rio_Grande
Original Author

Rio_Grande
Original Author

myfamilysfarm

jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)

Rio_Grande
Original Author

Rio_Grande
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Flooding plasticulture

Comments (8)

jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)

Rio_GrandeOriginal Author

Related Discussions

Rio_GrandeOriginal Author

Rio_GrandeOriginal Author

myfamilysfarm

jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)

Rio_GrandeOriginal Author

Rio_GrandeOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Rio_Grande
Original Author

Rio_Grande
Original Author

Rio_Grande
Original Author

Rio_Grande
Original Author

Rio_Grande
Original Author