Chloe Zhang
Plastic is used by farmers to cover fields for a variety of reasons. Plastic mulch can be used to suppress weeds, conserve water, and retain heat in the soil. It is often used in organic farming, where chemical weed killers are banned. Plastic covers for greenhouses can also help establish crops in seasons and areas where it was previously unthinkable to cultivate, by achieving microclimates within the structures that enhance the production of fruits, flowers, and vegetables. However, the disposal of plastic mulch is a significant problem for the industry, as it often ends up in landfills.
Why do farmers cover fields with plastic?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic used as | Mulch, greenhouse covers, row covers |
| Purpose | Weed control, conserve water, protect crops, retain heat, prevent evaporation, prevent erosion, enhance growth |
| Crops | Flowers, fruits, vegetables, berries, cannabis, corn, tomatoes, strawberries |
| Plastic type | Polyethylene, polythene |
| Plastic color | Black, clear, red, bicolor |
| Disposal | Recycling, landfills, burning, biodegradation |
| Concerns | Environmental impact, soil health, cost, labor, residue, punctures, abrasion, tear |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic is cheaper and easier to assemble than glass greenhouses
Plastic is a popular alternative to glass for greenhouses because it is cheaper and easier to assemble. Before the use of plastic, farmers used glass structures for their greenhouse crops, which were expensive and difficult to assemble. Plastic covers for greenhouses were first used in 1948 because they were more affordable and easier to handle. By the 1950s, there were remarkable improvements in the production and use of new plastics for agricultural crops.
The use of plastic covers has allowed farmers to establish crops in seasons and areas where cultivation was previously unthinkable. Plastic helps create microclimates within the structures that enhance the production of fruits, flowers, and vegetables. It also helps to retain a few additional degrees of heat at night, which is beneficial for crops.
Another advantage of plastic is its protective quality for crops, plants, and soils, especially from external climatic agents. It helps to conserve moisture, promotes growth, and restricts weed infestation. Plastic mulch is also used to suppress weeds and conserve water in crop production and landscaping. It is often used in conjunction with drip irrigation and can be designed with specific optical and mechanical properties to optimize the passage of light through the greenhouse.
While plastic has many benefits, it is important to consider the environmental impact of its disposal. The removal and correct disposal of plastic mulch can be technically and economically burdensome, and it often ends up in landfills. Biodegradable plastic could be a solution, but there are concerns about its long-term effects on soil health and the environment.
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Plastic mulch suppresses weeds
Plastic mulch is a product used in agriculture to suppress weeds and conserve water in crop production and landscaping. It is often used in organic farming, where chemical weed killers are banned. Plastic mulch is spread over fields and held down with soil, blocking sunlight from reaching the ground and stimulating weed growth. This allows plants like tomatoes to grow unimpeded through slits or holes in the plastic sheeting.
Plastic mulch was first used in New Zealand in the 1950s by strawberry growers in the Auckland area. By the 1960-61 season, all strawberries grown commercially in New Zealand were grown using black polythene plastic mulch. The plastic mulch promoted growth, conserved moisture, brought on early fruiting, and restricted weed infestation.
Today, plastic mulch is used on millions of acres worldwide each year, predominantly in large-scale vegetable growing. The use of plastic mulch can lead to improvements in the overall growth of plants by creating a practically weed-free area around them and removing the need for cultivation. It also protects the soil from erosion and helps retain moisture.
However, the disposal of plastic mulch is a significant problem for the industry and an environmental concern. While recycling technologies exist, they are not very effective due to contamination by agrochemicals. Biodegradable plastic could be a solution, but some worry about its long-term effects on soil health and the environment.
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Plastic mulch conserves water
The use of plastic mulch requires a unique application process to ensure proper placement of the plastic film. The application process begins with preparing the field in the same way one would for a flat seed bed. The bed must be free of large soil clods, rocks, sticks, hard clods, and other material that could puncture the plastic. The plastic should be in continuous contact with the soil, with no space between the soil and the mulch, as this can interfere with heat transfer and prevent the soil from warming as quickly and thoroughly. The edges of the mulch should be secured with a generous amount of soil, but not too much, as this makes the mulch more difficult to remove.
The plastic is typically removed from the field by hand and taken to landfills, amounting to a major cost and labour challenge for farmers. The removal of plastic mulch contributes to a higher cost through additional labour and equipment needed. Technologies exist to recycle used plastic mulch into viable plastic resins for reuse in the plastics manufacturing industry, but these methods are not very effective due to contamination by agrochemicals.
Biodegradable plastic could be a solution, but some worry about its long-term effects on soil health and the environment. It is also not allowed under current organic rules.
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Plastic mulch protects crops from pests
Plastic mulch is a product used in agriculture to suppress weeds and conserve water in crop production and landscaping. It is often used in organic farming practices to control weeds without the use of chemical weed killers, which are banned in organic farming. Plastic mulch can also be used to retain heat and moisture in the soil, helping with germination and promoting growth.
One of the benefits of using plastic mulch is that it can protect crops from pests. Spunbound row covers, for example, can protect crops from certain insect pests, including those that are vectors of diseases. The use of plastic mulch can also prevent root damage associated with cultivation, improving the overall growth of the plant.
The application process for plastic mulch involves preparing the field in the same way as for a flat seed bed, ensuring the bed is free of large soil clods and organic residue. A machine called a plastic layer or bed shaper is then pulled over the field, creating rows of plastic mulch covering the planting beds. The edges of the mulch are secured with soil, ensuring continuous contact with the soil to facilitate heat transfer and prevent tears from wind.
While plastic mulch can provide benefits such as pest control and weed suppression, there are also disadvantages to its use. The disposal of plastic mulch is a significant problem, as it often ends up in landfills. Recycling technologies exist, but they are not very effective due to contamination by agrochemicals. The use of plastic mulch also incurs higher costs for equipment, labour, and specialized application and removal processes.
Biodegradable plastic could be a potential solution to the disposal issue, but there are concerns about its long-term effects on soil health and the environment. Some organic farmers are hesitant to adopt biodegradable plastic due to current organic regulations, but there are calls for a re-evaluation of these rules. Overall, while plastic mulch can provide benefits in crop protection and pest control, addressing the environmental impact of its use remains a challenge.
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Plastic mulch improves crop growth
Plastic mulch is a product used in agriculture to improve crop growth. It is a form of plasticulture, where plastic is laid on the ground to suppress weeds and conserve water. Plastic mulch can also act as a barrier to keep methyl bromide, a powerful fumigant and ozone depleter, in the soil. It is often used in conjunction with drip irrigation and is predominant in large-scale vegetable farming.
The use of plastic mulch also protects the soil from erosion and external climatic agents. It keeps the temperature of the soil down and prevents the topsoil from blowing away. The soil underneath the plastic mulch stays loose and well aerated, eliminating root damage associated with cultivation.
While plastic mulch has benefits for crop growth, there are also disadvantages and environmental concerns. The use of plastic mulch comes at a higher cost due to the equipment and labor required for installation and removal. The disposal of plastic mulch is a significant problem, as it often ends up in landfills. Biodegradable plastic could be a solution, but there are worries about its long-term effects on soil health and the environment.
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Frequently asked questions
Farmers cover fields with plastic to suppress weeds, conserve water, and create a microclimate that enhances the production of fruits, flowers, and vegetables.
Plastic covers are used for crops such as strawberries, tomatoes, corn, and cannabis.
Plastic covers are cheaper and easier to assemble than glass greenhouses, and they also protect crops, plants, and soils from external climatic agents.
Plastic covers can be costly to install and remove, and they can also be harmful to the environment if not disposed of properly.
