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- From: Alan Haigh <alandhaigh@gmail.com>
- To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
- Subject: [NAFEX] growing melons over black plastic
- Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:24:54 -0400
Someone asked me off list what I meant when I said that from Z6 down black plastic might be useful or even necessary for growing melons. She is in a Z8 and wondered if black plastic might be helpful for her, which got me thinking more about growing stuff over plastic, especially melons. Here's what I wrote her.
Same as counting down- you know- 4,3,2,1 (zones colder than 6). Anytime you need more growing season black plastic is useful. Soil temps are even more important than air temps and small plants can be covered from a late spring frost (over-night) and get good growth if the soil is warm.
Small farmers around here use black plastic to grow many things to get a jump on production- even broccoli. You might benefit from using it to get the melons to flower earlier and therefore ripen under a stronger sun which is crucial to get the sugar up.
The plastic also helps vines and fruit dry out more quickly and reduces dew and allows melons to ripen without a trellis on a spot not too wet. Melons are generally a kind of desert fruit and humidity is not helpful.
- [NAFEX] growing melons over black plastic, Alan Haigh, 06/10/2009
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