Plastic Mulching & Planting

Ever wonder why farmers use black plastic in their fields? We explain here!

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

Seeds benefit from this method because you can plant earlier in the season. The plastic creates a humidity chamber and helps speed along the germination process.

Under the plastic, drip tape is laid in the center of the raised bed to irrigate the crop. The raised beds helps with irrigation by preventing the seedling's roots from sitting in water.  

Because plastic mulching acts as a greenhouse for the soil it generates higher yields and more production.

Weed control is another benefit of plastic mulching, more moisture and nutrients go to the crop, as well as saving time in field maintenance. 

After the plastic mulch is laid we use a plastic transplanter. This piece of equipment cuts through plastic into the raised bed and creates a plug for the seeds or seedlings. 

It has a center wheel with spikes that can be adjusted for different spaced plugs. It also has a hose that can deliver water and or fertilizer before the plant goes into the plug.

The center wheel punches the plug

The spikes are spaced to the plant's desired grow radius

When planting, one person drives the tractor, one person drops the seed or seedling into the plug and the other covers.

Pepper seedlings loaded up and ready to go

Kaitlyn riding shotgun getting ready to plant

One person plants the seedling, the other covers with soil

We continue up the row and each plant is perfectly spaced

Peppers are in the ground

And if you are lucky at the end of the day, you get to see one of these

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