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Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

I have read where color blue plastic mulch helps the best with watermellons. Is this true? I am planting a bunch of watermellons next yr and was wondering what color works best. Any info would be helpful.

12/22/2010 2:18:04 PM

sevierville, Tn

How does it help ?? Links? Sources ??

12/22/2010 2:38:08 PM

Trinity River Bottom

This is not scientific but i experimented with different color materials in the direct sun this summer to see how hot they got. the black weed barrier and the blue plastic tarps got the hottest. i don't remember what the temps were exactly but they were hotter than what i figured the plant would like . the only advantage in my opinon would be to go with a light tan or white weed barrier.

12/22/2010 3:31:44 PM

Ohio

i really don' know if it's the heat that you'r after when useing colored plastic. i know they use red plastic on tomatoes, somethong to do with the sunlight bouncing of the color plastic, going under the plant leaves.
I maybe wrong about that, but would stand to reason they want the same thing to happen with the melons

12/22/2010 4:28:42 PM

Trinity River Bottom

I was actually wanting to keep the heat off them by useing a lighter color..

12/22/2010 4:32:59 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

I may get booted out for this, but I don't use plastic at all. I feel it get's in the way of secondary rooting on the vines. Mine will pretty much root all the way down the vine, which I really want to encourage.

12/22/2010 4:55:49 PM

Corryton, TN

Are you interested in using mulch for competition or for eaters? I've done both.

I've only used the black in conjunction with a 8" raised bed shaper and got great results with early growth especially in the early season. It warms the soil great.
With both CC's & eaters most vines get so dense that I can't see a huge advantage for the colored mulch during fruit growth but I could be wrong. I've seen mixed research results on these colored films but no consistency.

I'm looking for something better for the CC's but I'll still use the black for commercial, and NO more 8" raised beds for me on either.

12/22/2010 5:39:38 PM

Lexington,IN

I use a 4' X 4' piece of black plastic on each plant. It's to help warm the soil up more than anything, as it goes down at least a few weeks before planting. of course it helps keep the weeds down too. The plants quickly shade the plastic so heat is not that big of a deal here. The vines will only have to run 2' in any direction before hitting soil for secondary rooting. I removed the plastic on 3 of 5 plants this year after melons were set. I saw no difference in plant health with or without the plastic removed. But those without plastic were easier to water, at the stump. I've always used black plastic to warm up the planting area, something Reggie Elkins told me to do years ago. I guess for myself, I'll continue to do it, until global warming gives Indiana warmer beginnings to our Spring...LOL

12/22/2010 8:47:06 PM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

Here is a website that sells it.

http://www.robertmarvel.com/Plastic_Mulch.html

I will be growing them for selling at a farmers market. So size is kind of important but not to the extent .

12/23/2010 9:59:33 AM

Corryton, TN

Growing melons for that market is what I do. I don't know your growing conditions or your customers but the variety(s) you grow will be more important than mulch color. Look for the complete package in the seed you select. Size, flavor, brix, disease resistance, early vigor, yield, etc. etc.

For competition questions keep posting here!

I'll be glad to try to answer your commercial ones. brotherdave01@aol.com

12/23/2010 1:09:55 PM