What Is Mulch Film?
Mulch film is an agricultural material used to control soil temperature, prevent weeds, and prevent mud splashes.
Most mulch film is durable and heat-retaining and is widely used not only by farmers but also in home vegetable gardens.
Uses of Mulch Film
Mulch film is mainly used at the stage before planting crops, by directly covering the soil over the entire row. Mulch film can be used to control frost, rapid temperature increases, and evaporation of water from the soil, thereby speeding up crop growth.
They are also used to control soil and fertilizer runoff and to retain heat and moisture. Mulch film is used for many crops and is best suited for growing leafy vegetables, potatoes, and vegetables that produce fruits, such as tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers.
Characteristics of Mulch Film
Advantages
- Weed control
- Soil heat retention
- Soil moisture retention
- Prevents soil and fertilizer runoff
- Prevention of mud splashing on crops
- Disease prevention
- Avoids pests
Disadvantages
- Excessively high temperatures may occur
- Requires work to spread and remove the sheet
- Wind can cause them to roll over if they are not held firmly in place
- Requires time-consuming soil preparation and fertilizer application
- Costly to dispose of
Types of Mulch Film
1. Black Mulch Film
Because of its high light shading property, it can inhibit the germination of weeds. It can also prevent soil temperature rise when used in summer.
However, if the black color is heated too much by light, it may cause leaf burn, so it is recommended to place straw or other materials at the base of the plants.
2. Transparent Mulch Film
Transparent mulch film allows direct sunlight to penetrate easily and is effective for raising soil temperature, sterilizing soil, and increasing germination and growth speed during winter and spring.
It also retains moisture, preventing the soil from hardening. However, it should be noted that the soil temperature may become too high when transparent mulch film is used in the summer.
3. Silver Mulch Film
Silver mulch film is expected to be effective in repelling light-hating pests such as aphids, thrips, and houseflies. Due to the sheet’s light reflection, it is also effective for crops that require coloring, such as watermelons and pumpkins.
4. Silver/Black Mulch Film
Mulch film with a silver surface and black reverse side is also available. The black side is used for warming up the soil temperature, and the silver side is used for avoiding pests and for crops that require coloring.
5. Black and White Mulch Film
Mulch film that can be used on both sides, black and white, depending on the season is also useful. It can be used throughout the year, which helps to reduce costs.
How to Select Mulch Film
Mulch film is generally 0.02 mm or 0.05 mm thick, but the thicker it is, the more durable and heat-retaining it will be.
When choosing mulch film, the color, size, and purpose should be clarified in advance.
How to Use Mulch Film
1. Making Ridges
The key is to make sure that the ridges are straight and the surface and sides of the ridges are flat so that the mulch film can be easily applied.
2. Prepare Mulch Film
The width and height of the rows will vary depending on the crop to be grown, but prepare a mulch film wider than the width of the rows. If you want to reduce labor, a “perforated type” with holes for easy planting of seedlings is convenient. For mulch film without holes, use a cutter or a special cutter for making holes.
3. Make Furrows at the Edges of the Ridges
Make a trench by digging the soil at the edge of the rows with mulch, but keep the trench to the side of the rows to make it easier to cover the mulch film later.
4. Place Mulch Film
Place mulch film according to the width of the rows. Fix the edge of the mulch film on the width side of the rows with soil or a mulch film holder, and roll the mulch film to stretch it out, making sure it is tight.
5. Stretching Mulch Film
If the ridges are long, the mulch sheet will tend to shift, so stretch it while keeping the center in mind. Also, it can be stretched neatly if you stretch it while covering several places along the way with soil.
6. Tamp Down the Mulch Film
After stretching the mulch film, step on the edge of the mulch film with your foot. Be careful not to tear the mulch sheet.