Strawberry growers spend months coaxing out those juicy, ruby-red jewels, only to watch them fall victim to heat, weeds, rot, or hungry wildlife. Garden centers may recommend plastic mulch sheets for ...

China has led the world in using plastic-film mulch to increase the productivity of its crops, and now it needs to lead the world in removing the plastic residue damaging its croplands, according to a ...

A suite of at least 10 genes in a tomato plant behaves differently depending on the farmer’s mulch-and-fertilizer routine, according to an unusual analysis. Earlier work showed that when researchers ...

As the California Drought transitions into its fifth year the situation has gotten dire. Indoor, hydroponic gardens that are fairly water-efficient grow the majority of the top-tier cannabis on the ...

In last week’s column, you mentioned using plant covers and plastic mulch to speed growth of tomatoes and other warm season vegetables. Could you explain how they speed growth? Plant covers and ...

Mulch is the ultimate gardening time-saver, no matter if you're tending to flower beds or vegetable gardens. And while mulching itself may be a pain, it reaps many rewards: When done properly, mulch ...

MIAMI, FL—Plastic mulches have been used in vegetable production in the United States since the 1950s. Black plastic (polyethylene) mulch, which alters the plant's growing environment by generating ...

Drew and Joan Norman have been producing organic vegetables on 60 acres just north of Baltimore since 1983. On a recent spring day, signs of another new season at One Straw Farm were everywhere: ...

Spring planting in mulch helps control weeds, including reducing the need to weed as much. Few weeds will come up through a 4-inch layer of hay. In spring we plant several crops into hay mulch to help ...

Walter Battle shows how to lay sheet mulch, and Cathy Faust shows how to make strawberry jam. This week on The Family Plot: Gardening in the Mid-South, UT Extension Area Specialist Walter Battle ...