Turbo-Tomato Mulch (Red Plastic) From Gurneys
andrew_swmo
11 years ago
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digdirt2
11 years agoRelated Discussions
plastic mulch rings on individual plants?
Comments (6)There has been many discussion on HOW to extend growing season. One method is to do it from the FRONT END, ie spring. I have been studying this seriously myself. The primary reason for retarded germination and growth is more SOIL temperatures than AIR temperatures. So the challenge is to keep the soil warm. Plants like warm feet but don't mind cool head. Normal ground temperature (~ 4 ft below surface) range from 50F to 60F in most places on Earth. This is without solar heating and winter cooling. For most garden vegetables (once they have germinated) a 60F soil temperature is a good start. A clear plastic cover can help in two ways: (1) by trapping solar heat ( greenhouse principle) and reducing heat loss to the space in (the form of heat wave) at night. For this reason and purpose , clear plastic is superior to all other kinds. A thin layer of dry fluffy straw or leaves just under the plastic can have an improved greenhouse effect. The "ring" idea, is good for potted plans. It can also be a useful tool where you get too much rain. In the ground , I would cover the whole bed. Once it warms up you can remove the plastic....See MoreRed vs. Black plastic- any advantages of the Red?
Comments (8)Thanks; I actually saw that 'plasticulture' referenced in a link that Dave had provided in another thread on this subject, and agreed that the 'results' were minimal at best...one person having cited that a 20 count det tomato yield would increase only 10%...2 fruits. Doesn't seem worth the cost of the red plastic to me, either. Additionally, from the above-referenced link: Tomato - this crop appears to respond more to red mulch compared to black with an average 12% increase in marketable fruit yield over a 3 year period. There appears to be a reduction in the incidence of early blight in plants grown on red mulch compared to plants grown on black mulch. When environmental conditions for plant growth are ideal, tomato response to red mulch is minimal. 12% over THREE years? That's even worse than the 10% number previously cited. I guess I'll stick to my plain old set of tools: 1 grade stake 1 tomato plant some survey tape to tie with maybe some Miracle Grow for Toms. Thanks for the information, everyone!...See MoreRed plastic mulch
Comments (9)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 MoreSource of Red Plastic Mulch for Tomatoes
Comments (7)I just got both the mulch and the red water walls from Pinetree Garden Seeds. They sell the mulch by the foot--which was nice for me as it is an experiment this year and I didn't want to spend a lot of money--.19 per foot, with a low minimum footage (10 feet if I remember correctly). One warning though---I looked in their catalog for a few certain seeds and the mulch, and ended up spending over $100 by the time I was done browsing! The up side is that everything was shipped immediately and I am very happy with what I received. Here is a link to the specific page on their website for the mulch: Here is a link that might be useful: Pinetree garden seeds weather supplies...See Morewertach zone 7-B SC
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