Plastic Mulch

This year I am experimenting with using plastic mulch.  I have been using drip tape for several years,  it really changed how I water my crops.  Last year I used landscape fabric for Sweet Potatoes and Okra.  I was hooked.  Less weeding and earlier crops, I knew I am using more of this next year.

This year I am planting Tomatoes, Peppers, Okra, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Sweet Potatoes, Watermelon, and Canteloupe all in plastic mulch. 

It takes me 30 minutes to 60 minutes per bed to lay the plastic.  The plastic in the high tunnels is much easier than outside. 

Why Plastic Mulch? Here is a nice list of advantages from
http://uconnladybug.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/plastic-mulches-for-the-vegetable-garden/

Advantages:

1. Increases soil temperature, allowing earlier planting and earlier harvest, and promotes plant growth in cooler climates.
2. Soil compaction is reduced which improves root growth.
3. Fertilizer leaching is reduced because excess water runs off the plastic.
4. Water logging from excessive rain is avoided.
5. Drying of soil from evaporation is reduced.
6. Crops are cleaner and less subject to disease caused by soil-borne pathogens because they are not in contact with the soil or rain-splashed soil.
7. Weed control with black plastic eliminates the damage to roots caused by cultivation to remove weeds.
8. Weed control (black and colored mulches).
9. Harvest of crops can be 2-14 days earlier with black plastic and as much as 21 days earlier with clear plastic, depending on the crop and the temperatures.
10. The “chimney effect”:  CO₂, which is required for photosynthesis, builds up under the plastic and can only escape through the planting holes, causing a higher concentration around the growing leaves.

There are some disadvantages too.

 1.   Cost of mulch and irrigation equipment.
2.    Soil erosion can increase between the mulched rows.
3.    Weeds may grow through the planting holes close to the crop plants.
4.    Must be removed from the garden annually, along with the drip or   soaker hose irrigation tubes.  

However I believe the advantages over power the disadvantages.

 Here are some pictures from this year, so far.

Here is "Hoop B"  the big tomato building.




Cherry tomatoes


Cucumbers and Zucchini




Peppers




Watermelons








Okra




Sweet Potatoes





Enjoy!

Plastic Mulch

Color wheel

Who says watermelon must be red to be delicious?

Color wheel

Friday's Featured Food: Maggie's Favorite

It's Maggie's turn! Maggie said her favorite veggie is the pink potatoes, but since we featured those last week, she had to pick again. She chose watermelon.

First off, no, we don't have watermelon right now and won't have it for sale for the July 4th weekend. Watermelon grown in Kansas is usually not ready until late July.

We don't grow too many watermelon, since watermelon grows best in sandy soil, something we don't have. The varieties we do grow, however, are very unusual. This year we are growing:

• Golden Midget: small and yellow, perfect for Miss Mags. I like it because the rind turns yellow when it's ripe, so no more thumping-and-guessing when to pick it.
• Jubilee: oblong-shaped watermelon with a green-striped rind, known for its large size
• Crimson Sweet: tried and true, the old-faithful of watermelons
• Sugar Baby: small, dark-green fruits
• Moon and Stars: dark blue-green rind with yellow spots
• Black Diamond: another old-faithful variety, this one producing dark green fruit with bright red inside

For something new, we are going to try square watermelons this year. How cool would it be to have one of these to enter in the county fair:

Not only do watermelons taste great, they also contain high concentrations of lycopene, an antioxidant that may help reduce the risks of cancer and other diseases. They are also great on hot days, a refreshing snack thanks to all that messy juiciness.

Recipes for watermelon? Sure, why not! I adore, love, crave, need watermelon rind pickles. They are easy to make but time consuming. But, oh my gosh, they are SO worth the effort. Here is a great recipe for these delicious sweet pickles:

1 large watermelon, quartered Pickling salt

2 tablespoons plus

2 teaspoons whole cloves

16 (1 1/2-inch) sticks cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

8 cups sugar

1 quart vinegar (5% acidity)

1. Remove flesh from melon (reserve for other use); peel watermelon.
2. Cut rind into 1-inch cubes.
3. Place rind in a large crock or plastic container.
4. Add water by the quart until it covers the rind; add 1/4 cup pickling salt for each quart water, stirring until salt dissolves.
5. Cover and let stand in a cool place overnight.
6. Drain well.
7. Place rind in a 10-quart Dutch oven; cover with cold water.
8. Bring to a boil, and cook until rind is almost tender.
9. Drain and set aside.
10. Tie cloves, cinnamon, and mustard seeds in a cheesecloth bag.
11. Combine spice bag, sugar, and vinegar in a Dutch oven.
12. Bring to a boil; remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes.
13. Add rind to syrup
    
    
    .
14. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cook until rind is transparent.
15. Remove spice bag.
16. Pack rind into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
17. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw bands tight.
18. Process in boiling-water bath 5 minutes.

Friday's Featured Food: Maggie's Favorite