Time to Put Down Plastic

[charlz]

That plastic price is downright reasonable. I am going to have to do some research and see if I can get a roll that size for about that price. Where are you buying the plastic and drip tape at? A regular Ag supply type place?

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Eddie,

I agree with what Moss and Charlz stated. You can also see advantages and disadvantages on this link:
Using Plastic Mulches and Drip Irrigationfor Vegetable Production

You can reuse the drip line but need to make sure it is clean. The drip line I use is sometimes called T-tape. It has small slits every 8" or you can buy it with the slits at 12" - 24" depending on what you are growing. If bured the slit need to be facing up. The tape does best with 12-15psi.

If you have a small garden you can buy the silt fence woven material without the stakes and reuse it. I can get a 100' x 3' roll for $12.00. You could actually over lap it and use rock or something to hold it down. Put your drip lines down first. Then take a small torch and burn the hole where you wanted to put the plant or seeds. You can also order wider rolls 6'-10' or more that is used at large nursery and greenhouses.

I do know people who plant on plastic for two years before pulling it up but that does not work too good on large scale.

Most of the people I talk to who grow on plastic increase their yields 3-4 times verses growing the conventional way.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Reyer,

My layer was sold through Berry Hill Irrigation. I had looked at Rain-Flo but found this that was used one year to lay 10 rows of strawberries. The couple I bought it from grows blueberries and blackberries. They tried strawberries but was too much work for them. I save $500 on the layer and got close to a full roll of drip tape and plastic about $300.00 worth, so basically saved $800.00:thumbsup:

I did lay all rows in one direction so I could deadhead all on the same end at which I started.

I did get a little better on the last 10 rows or so by not looking back:laughing:

I just looked at a picture of the Nolts and mine looks just like it. IT may be made by Nolts. New from Berry Hill mine cost around $1950 + shipping for the 48 inch 4" bed.

 

[Reyer Farms]

You got a great deal my friend! I'm really fixing to shop plastic I think the last roll I got was around 200! I have found pepper do not need to be on same row as tomatoes. They require a lot more water. I hope weather is good for you , I have lost about 3000 ' of row to heavy rains and wind in the past two weeks.

 

[MossRoad]

"Use a torch to burn a hole"..... :banghead: GOOD GRIEF!!! I've been crawling around on my hands and knees with a knife all these years!!!

 

[Western]

If you weren't so far, it would be a hoot to come see it. That is a heap 'O' plants:thumbsup: If I had the land, I always wanted to grow a specialty, or hard to come by crop. Something like a berry or other high dollar product.

Whats your thoughts on the soaker hose like from lowes, as compared to the drip tape? This is our 1st year to try soaker hose in any scale and it seams to be working well.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

You got a great deal my friend! I'm really fixing to shop plastic I think the last roll I got was around 200! I have found pepper do not need to be on same row as tomatoes. They require a lot more water. I hope weather is good for you , I have lost about 3000 ' of row to heavy rains and wind in the past two weeks.

I am not sure what shipping cost would be but check the prices at http://www.rainfloirrigation.com/downloads/2014RainFloCatalogNew.pdf

and Berry Hill Drip Irrigation

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Yep Moss...one of those hand held torches works great on the woven material.

Dennis, I have no experience with the soaker hose, I have heard they work good but may only last one year...don't know. I think Jim Inman had used them in his garden.

I am looking into some specialty crops but need to do a little more research on marketing them. One thing that looks promising is garlic. We also have a good climate for hops with all the breweries popping up. I thought about trying a row but need tall pole with wire stretched across the top and wire dropped for them to climb. Then rig a ratchet system to lower the cable for harvest. Too much work at this time.

My wife keeps asking me how I am going to harvest all I am planting this year I ma also doing about a 1/4 to 1/2 acre of cut flowers

 

[charlz]

Dennis, I have no experience with the soaker hose, I have heard they work good but may only last one year...don't know. I think Jim Inman had used them in his garden.

Hard water here, they clog after a few years.

I am looking into some specialty crops but need to do a little more research on marketing them. One thing that looks promising is garlic.

One thing I like about garlic is the beds are summer fallow so good for rotating a green manure crop etc.

We also have a good climate for hops with all the breweries popping up. I thought about trying a row but need tall pole with wire stretched across the top and wire dropped for them to climb. Then rig a ratchet system to lower the cable for harvest. Too much work at this time.

They grow hops not too far from here. Definitely a lot of initial investment with all the poles, wires etc.

 

[Western]

Gensing!! supposed to be good $. Doesn't grow here, but I believe it does there. You would need "security" :laughing:

You're right about Jim, he doesn't just have soaker hoses, he has a "hose array"

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Ginseng does grow here but at a little higher elevation than I'm at. And I would need to hire an armed guard!!

 

[snowbelt geauga]

The Nolts and the Berry Hill mulch layers are the same. Nolts is about $300 cheaper.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

snowbelt,

It must be the BLACK deflectors on the back of mine that cost the extra $300 instead of the white ones on the Nolt

Actually Berryhill has one that is $1700.00 but will only handle 36' plastic

 

[EddieWalker]

Thank you for the info. It sounds like something we will have to look into for next year. can you plant seeds with the plastic or will only existing plants work?

We are using soaker hoses that we bought at Sams Club. They are quite a bit cheaper then what they sell at Lowes and seem to be of pretty good quality. Karen is excited to be out in the garden weeding, but time is limited with work and her finishing up her PhD, so there is a lot of unknown in what will get done and how it ends up.

Please keep us updated on your progress. This is something that I'm very interested in and wanting to learn as much as possible.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Eddie,

You can seed through the plastic. You just punch a hole in it and put the seed in. I will be seeding in the plastic as well as transplants. I bought a hand seeder that I can adjust the depth, I will take a picture of it and post. the bottom is closed, once you poke it in the plastic you drop the seed in the top and rock it forward, the bottom opens up and drops the seed.

It will take a little longer to plant this way than the seeder I have for bare ground but it will be worth it in the long run.

If your weeds start taking over you can lay old news paper between the rows, wet them to hold them down then cover with straw or mulch to hold the weeds down. Don't use pine needles as they may leach in to the ground and lower your Ph. Most veggies like between 6-7ph.


This is the one I have: http://www.berryhilldrip.com/MGS-01...while-standing-up-through-plastic-mulch..html

 

[DFB]

For you smaller garden growers if your interested in using plastic layer and cant see the hefty investment of large sized equipment I cannot recommend enough to consider the smaller Holland units. I've been using one small scale commercial for years. Works great for laying down mulch with compact tractors and scuts and is also designed to bolt up to walk behind machines like the BCS and Troybuilt depending on the hitch configuration. Optional accessories include drip tape dispenser and dibble wheel hole punch


click soilworking/plastic mulchlayer

BCS Implements


Just a FYI nothing's totally weed free...weeds still grow up thru the planting holes!

But it sure helps

 

[Reyer Farms]

High tunnel production of crops have lead to many companies making mini layers. Some units are combo units others are two different pieces. Rainflo has a combo, Buckeye makes a whole line of smaller equipment for market growing, Kennco offers the family farm line.

 

[snowbelt geauga]

I ordered the Nolts rb448 layer which will lay 48" and 36" plastic. With a single drip tape attachment for $1690.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

That is a good price on the Nolts. Mine must be the same as it will do 36 or 48". I paid $1600 for slightly used with a roll of plastic and t tape. Plus $100.00 for diesel and lunch so you might as well say $1700.00.

But yours will be brand new with no dirt Take a picture when you get it!

 

[snowbelt geauga]

They told me it was 6 to7 weeks out 2weeks ago. I will post pictures if I can figure out how to do it.