Mulches in California Vegetable Crop Production

Author(s): Mitchell, Jeffrey; Summers, Charles; McGiffen, Milt; Aguiar, Jose; Aslan, Sam; Stapleton, Jim | Abstract: Surface mulches are widely used in the production of strawberries and certain high-value vegetable crops. Reflective plastic and some cover crop mulches share similar features in crop production: insect and disease management, weed management, fertilizer availability, and water conservation. For production practices using either polyethylene or cover crop mulches to be successful, production goals must be matched with management know how and experience.