“We found that the use of plastic mulch can indeed increase crop yields on average by 25%–42% in the immediate season due to the increase of soil temperature (+8%) and moisture (+17% ...

The downside of plastic mulch is disposal, Domenghini adds. “Availability of biodegradable plastic mulches will likely increase in years to come,” Domenghini said.

Biodegradable plastic mulch was introduced as a solution in the 1990s. Today, it's an environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to regular plastic mulch.

Meanwhile, black plastic mulch attracts gardeners for its simplicity and weed control. Tomato plants prefer something else: Red plastic, which retains moisture, prevents weeds, and much more.

A study conducted by Martin SAMPHIRE and colleagues at Bangor University in the UK addresses this question through a ...

“The main reason is these plastic films don’t degrade in the timeframe promised, producing harmful landfill emissions for the environment, contaminated soil, and unnecessary transportation costs for ...

I love to garden, but I don’t like to do work needlessly. If I can find a gardening technique that saves me time, effort and money — well, I’m there.