Laying Plastic Mulch Beds

Most of our crops are planted on plastic mulch beds.

These are raised beds that are covered in colored plastic. They are called mulch beds because they cover the soil around the crop and act like mulch by keeping the weeds down. The beds also cover a water line called trickle tape that brings water directly to each plant.

We plant on raised plastic mulch beds for many reasons:

• to retain soil moisture
• to reduce weeds
• to reduce soil compaction and encourage root growth
• speed up harvest rate
• saves water by using trickle irrigation as opposed to sprinkler system
• different colors of plastic that all do a different job- BLACK attracts sunlight and speeds up germination and plant growth WHITE reflects sunlight and cools the soil and REFLECTIVE or SILVER repels certain insects that can damage the crop

Beds are layed in the spring with an impliment called a bed layer.

The beds are started by unrolling a length of plastic to start the row.

A helper then holds the plastic as the tractor pulls the bed layer to start the row.

 

The bed layer has disks that build up the soil into a bed.

Then the plastic is rolled onto the raised soil ....

...pressed into and rolled under to secure.

 

 

 

When the tractor reaches the end of the row, Brandt cuts the plastic and trickle tape...

.....and covers the loose end.

 

This process is repeated until the entire field is done leaving 2 and a half foot pathways between rows.

 

After the beds are done, Brandt then  makes sure that there are no lose edges along the beds.

Each bed can be planted on up to two times in a season then the plastic is removed and a cover crop is planted to prevent soil errosion and replenish nutrients into the soil.

These beds are now ready for transplanting!