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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Bio- Plastics vs. plastic mulch

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  • From: Road's End Farm <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: farmersue AT myfairpoint.net, Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Bio- Plastics vs. plastic mulch
  • Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:53:18 -0400


On Mar 15, 2011, at 3:43 PM, Sue Wells wrote:

Does anyone else have comments on Weed Guard Plus? Is this better than Bio tel?
Sue
Vermont

My comments on all such materials:

1) Check that the specific material actually breaks down leaving no harmful residues. There has at one time or another been a lot of stuff on the market being sold as "biodegradable" that didn't actually meet such standards. -- If it's acceptable for use by organic certifying agencies, somebody outside the company selling it should have checked this. If it isn't, there are multiple possible reasons, but I'd recommend doing your own checking. And I wouldn't assume that because it's in a garden catalogue claiming it as "organic" that it does in fact meet current standards; I still sometimes see items so advertised that I know are not acceptable. When the USDA limited the use of the word for food products, they declined to limit it for companies selling garden and farm supplies.

2) Try the material out on a small scale in your own operation before relying on it. Speed of breakdown can vary considerably depending on weather, climate, soil type, and the microorganisms in the particular soil. I've had edges buried in soil break down almost immediately after planting, with the result that the wind picked the material up and flipped it over the top of young transplants, doing damage. This was some years ago, and may not apply to materials currently on the market; but you do need to check on your own place, in case the particular material won't last as long as you need it to, in your particular soil, for your particular uses. Also, some materials may be hard to lay with some equipment, or may need different adjustment of the equipment than you're used to, so that laying them properly may take practice.


-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale






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