Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Till-Down Field Day October 13th

Producers can learn more about biodegradable plastic mulch at a free field day focusing on till-down Friday, Oct. 13^th from 1-3 p.m. at Cloudview Farms in Ephrata.

WSU’s Katie Dentzman will help lead the event and she noted that like other mulches, it’s applied at the end of a season.

“But the primary difference is that it’s made from polymers that can be degraded by microbial activity in the soil.”

Which means it offers the same benefits of other mulches weed control, reduced evaporation, water conservation and improved yield and quality, but it doesn’t have to be pulled out of the field.

Dentzman said that there had been some confusion and disappointment with biodegradable plastic mulches which didn’t work as they were supposed to, but that’s why she’s working this project with University of Tennessee.

“The growers at Omache really liked the biodegradable plastics. They did everything the same, pretty much, as the polyethylene plastic. They did start to degrade which didn’t really affect the plants at all and they generally approve of how it was going.”

Dentzman said their work is now to specify degradation rates, come up with bio-based mulch for organic growers and come up with different mulch colors.

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