Red Mulch

elkwc36 · February 3, 2007

Carch and others,
From some articles and even some research some say you will see increased production with it. I'm going to do my own experiment with it this summer comparing it to the same variety without and see how it compares for me. Have any of you noticed an increase? I'm one that has to see for himself so doing the same with true Box Car Willie and the one that some think isn't. I will report back in the fall on my impressions of red mulch. Have never been a real believer in black mulch for me anyway. Jay

dcarch · February 3, 2007

Based on physics, the heat of vaporization of water is quite a bit. Imagine how much heat is required to boil a pot of water away.

A lot of warmth of the soil is carried away by vaporization. So the plastic mulch, in addition to absorbing solar energy (200+ BTUs per sq. ft. I think), it also prevents heat of vaporization loss.

They say that red plastic reflects red light to the plant, and red light is good for plants. I am not so sure there is much difference. there is not much red light to be bounced from the bottom of the leaves.

dcarch

landarc · February 3, 2007

I say give it a try and see. Our totally unscientific experience has been that the red mulch is no more, or less, effective than black plastic.

Fusion_power · February 3, 2007

I put up a mulch page on my website because I get so many questions about mulching.

http://www.selectedplants.com/mulch.htm

As for the red plastic, I haven't seen that much benefit.

Fusion

**carolyn137** · February 3, 2007

I was present at the NE Vegetable Conference in the mid 90's in Sturbridge, MA when the red plastic mulch developed by Clemson U was first presentred and I took home lots of that original literature to read.

Initially it was said that yield would be increased about 20%. But I think you have to realize that this red plastic was developed to be used by commercial farmers and it's used with Determinate plants and lots of space between plants for no sun obstruction to the red plastic.

As the years have passed the % increase values have gone down, and most I see now is about maybe a 10% increase in yield.

So if you're growing a variety from which you normally might get 20 fruits, then maybe you get two more.

And how do you square that with the price you paid for that red plastic, which is not cheap?

Almost all the blurbs I see in gardening catalogs still say an increase in 20%, going from that original literature, and I haven't seen one blurb yet that tells you it should be used with det plants and they have to be far apart between the rows.

amideutch · February 3, 2007

I got this site from Polar_lace. Ami
http://growingtaste.com/mulches.shtml

elkwc36 · February 3, 2007

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I had waited for several years but decided this year I would do a comparison for myself. I still will usually mostly grass clippings for mulch with loose hay. It has served me well. I got a chance to buy a 4" x 40" roll of red plastic cheap so decided to give it a try for comparison only. Carolyn have you got the SSE yearbook read yet? Sure an interesting book. Jay

PaulF · February 3, 2007

I did side-by-side comparisons using red mulch and grass clippings as mulch over a four year period. While any mulch is better than none, I saw no increase in productivity from the red mulch. I did get lots of conversation from neighbors and friends as they had never seen red mulch being used. It did look pretty cool. When my red mulch deteriorated from use, I did not replace it and went back to grass and straw mulch.

**carolyn137** · February 3, 2007

Carolyn have you got the SSE yearbook read yet? Sure an interesting book. Jay

Nope,, I haven't Jay.

I first read thru the listed members blurbs at the front to see who I know, who is old, who is new, and then I start on the tomatoes first. And I'm just about thru with the orange/yellows and heading into the pink/purples.

It's so sad to see so many original descriptions that have been lost. And I can best judge my own that are not being carried forward since I stopped listing so many in 1998. Bill Minkey, Neil Lockhart and Marianne Jones seem to do the best in that regard.

natural · February 3, 2007

Last year I grew 4 beds of tomatoes on red mulch and 4 beds on black mulch.
Saw no significant difference in production between the red and black mulch.

elkwc36 · February 4, 2007

Thanks to all for the replies. They are all appreciated. Still trying to get through all the SSE tomato list. Jay

February 3, 2007	#1
elkwc36 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: SW Kansas Posts: 339	Red Mulch Carch and others, From some articles and even some research some say you will see increased production with it. I'm going to do my own experiment with it this summer comparing it to the same variety without and see how it compares for me. Have any of you noticed an increase? I'm one that has to see for himself so doing the same with true Box Car Willie and the one that some think isn't. I will report back in the fall on my impressions of red mulch. Have never been a real believer in black mulch for me anyway. Jay

February 3, 2007	#2
dcarch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NY Posts: 2,618	Based on physics, the heat of vaporization of water is quite a bit. Imagine how much heat is required to boil a pot of water away. A lot of warmth of the soil is carried away by vaporization. So the plastic mulch, in addition to absorbing solar energy (200+ BTUs per sq. ft. I think), it also prevents heat of vaporization loss. They say that red plastic reflects red light to the plant, and red light is good for plants. I am not so sure there is much difference. there is not much red light to be bounced from the bottom of the leaves. dcarch __________________ tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato

February 3, 2007	#3
landarc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Left Coasty Posts: 964	I say give it a try and see. Our totally unscientific experience has been that the red mulch is no more, or less, effective than black plastic. __________________ Lets see...$10 for Worth and $5 for Fusion, man. Tomatoes are expensive! Bob

February 3, 2007	#5
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	I was present at the NE Vegetable Conference in the mid 90's in Sturbridge, MA when the red plastic mulch developed by Clemson U was first presentred and I took home lots of that original literature to read. Initially it was said that yield would be increased about 20%. But I think you have to realize that this red plastic was developed to be used by commercial farmers and it's used with Determinate plants and lots of space between plants for no sun obstruction to the red plastic. As the years have passed the % increase values have gone down, and most I see now is about maybe a 10% increase in yield. So if you're growing a variety from which you normally might get 20 fruits, then maybe you get two more. And how do you square that with the price you paid for that red plastic, which is not cheap? Almost all the blurbs I see in gardening catalogs still say an increase in 20%, going from that original literature, and I haven't seen one blurb yet that tells you it should be used with det plants and they have to be far apart between the rows. __________________ Carolyn

February 3, 2007	#8
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,296	I did side-by-side comparisons using red mulch and grass clippings as mulch over a four year period. While any mulch is better than none, I saw no increase in productivity from the red mulch. I did get lots of conversation from neighbors and friends as they had never seen red mulch being used. It did look pretty cool. When my red mulch deteriorated from use, I did not replace it and went back to grass and straw mulch. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

February 3, 2007	#4
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	I put up a mulch page on my website because I get so many questions about mulching. http://www.selectedplants.com/mulch.htm As for the red plastic, I haven't seen that much benefit. Fusion

February 3, 2007	#6
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	I got this site from Polar_lace. Ami http://growingtaste.com/mulches.shtml

February 3, 2007	#10
natural Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: North GA Posts: 530	Last year I grew 4 beds of tomatoes on red mulch and 4 beds on black mulch. Saw no significant difference in production between the red and black mulch.

February 4, 2007	#11
elkwc36 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: SW Kansas Posts: 339	Thanks to all for the replies. They are all appreciated. Still trying to get through all the SSE tomato list. Jay