What is Mulch?
In agriculture, mulch is a protective cover placed over the soil, primarily to modify the effects of the local climate. A wide variety of natural and synthetic materials are used.

CFT mulches are one of the most important ways to maintain healthy crops. Our specialised CFT mulches are plastic materials with specifically designed properties which are applied to the soil surface for protection or improvement of the area covered. Mulching is originally nature’s idea. Nature produces large quantities of mulch all the time with fallen leaves, twigs, bark, flower blossoms, fallen fruit and other organic material. We have successfully combined what we have learned from nature with our state of the art technology to deliver a product that combines the best of both worlds and offers the farmer a workable solution for successful produce. Our maximum lay-flat width is 4.6 meters.

Mulch is used for various purposes:
• To adjust soil temperature by helping soil retain more heat in spring and autumn, and by keeping soil cool and stabilising temperatures during hot and variable summer conditions.
• To control weeds by blocking the sunlight necessary for germination.
• To retain water by slowing evaporation.
• To repel insects.
• To incrementally improve growing conditions by reflecting sunlight upwards to the plants, and by providing a clean, dry surface for ground-lying fruit such as strawberries, squash and melons.
• For erosion control.
• For sediment control.

Technical Specifications on Mulch Films

There has been progress in the use and application from the old systems of mulching with straw, sawdust and leaves to the use of plastic materials today. With the innovation of all these new products the aim in the use of the mulching system has diversified and the choice of film type has increased.

The basic function of mulch can be divided into the following functions:

• To stabilise the land and thereby guaranteeing excellent plant growth.
• To block humidity and hence its natural evaporation.
• To stop the growth of weeds.
• To obtain a higher performance rate, and to provide a higher quality product for the demanding export market.

To obtain the above results various additives have been incorporated into the mulch film where as the different colours are the most variable additive. The following is a short description of how the various functions of the mulch are achieved and how it will influence the crop it is used for.

..........

Humidity

Water availability and quantity is one of the most restrictive elements in the Southern African agricultural Sector. With the increase in pollution of fresh water systems and the increased demand for water in the growing population and industry, less water becomes available to the agricultural sector. Therefore any method to reduce the loss of water and reduce the use of water is welcomed in the agricultural sector.

The use of mulch film prevents the loss of humidity and the evaporation of the water in the soil.

• The blocking of humidity greatly reduces frequent irrigation and can lead to water saving between 25%
and 65 % thus provide economical water consumption.
• The plant is protected by a microclimate where as the reduced evaporation rate reduces the humidity surrounding the plant and reduces the occurrence of certain diseases.
• The reduced evaporation rate through the control of humidity also prevents the occurrence of extreme fluctuations in soil moisture content.

Stabilisation

Another hindering factor in agriculture is soil stabilisation as soil erosion can become a big problem during very high rainfall periods and thereby the plant as well as the farmer sustains damage.

The use of mulch stabilises the land and thereby reduces soil related problems.

• The covering of the soil with mulch film prevents the erosion of soil and forming of ground level crust due to rain and ensuring a soft soil that is indispensable for healthy oxygenation.
• The covering also prevents rain from leaching nutrients from the soil that have been introduced by the farmer or occur naturally in the soil and therefore maintains the nutritional value of the natural elements present in the soil.
• The plant roots exhibit a balanced development and prevent the roots from incurring physical damage.

Weed Control

One of the great expenses to farmers is the control of unwanted weeds and this is mainly done by chemicals or physical labour and both are very costly. With the introduction of more environmentally friendly farming practices most farmers are trying to reduce the amount of chemicals used. The use of mulch films can prevent the germination of most weeds.

• The mulch prevents the weeds from developing and can thus be used as a substitute for weed killers.
• This reduces the amount of contact the farmer has with the crop by eliminating weeding close to the plant and thus reducing the chances of mechanical damage to the plant.
• A reduction in the use of herbicides is more environmentally friendly and more cost effective.

Using Mulch to Control Temperature

The mulch influences the temperature surrounding it and the temperature of itself. Therefore the type of mulch is greatly reliant on the microclimate you want to create for your crop. The mulch either absorbs or reflects the suns radiation, thus influencing your crop in different ways. By choosing a colour or a combination of colours this effect can be manipulated to the farmer’s advantage.

Black mulches:
Black mulches absorb the radiation from the sun and thus tend to become very hot.

• The black mulch can scorch the crop when it is in contact with the crop. It can also over heat the beds when the mulch is in direct contact with the bed and the moisture conducts the heat to the bed.

Double coloured mulches:
To create a more thermal stable microclimate it is recommended to use the various double (co-extruded) mulch films. These mulches still have the advantage of mulch film without the risk of heat damage to the crop. The mulch is usually black on the one side to maintain the opaque characteristics of the film and white or silver on the other side to control the temperature and light quality surrounding the product.

• The reflected radiation is dispersed away from the mulch and bed and creates a cooler micro climate for the crop.
• The light that is reflected is directed to the crop and therefore creates a higher light transmission toward the crop.

Other Effects on Mulch

Cleaner and less soiled crop:
The mulch prevents major contact of the crop with the soil and prevents soil damage to the crop, ensuring a better quality crop.

Additional Pest Control:
The barrier created by the mulch prevents some insects from pupating in the soil i.e. Leaf Miner and Thrips.
Yellow coloured mulches attract insects to the mulch film itself and reduces the spread of disease which the insects act as vectors for.

The reduction in the insects and disease reduces the area treated with pesticides and the consumption of chemicals is reduced.

Heat transfer to beds in autumn and winter:
The use of silver/brown mulch creates ideal mulch for cooler times when the additional heat provided improves root development and overall performance of the crop.

Recommendations

The following is just a guideline recommendation to what mulch will suit what type of crop, certain climates and other external factors may influence the crop to use another type of mulch than recommended.

Sizes

All the above mentioned products came in various widths and lengths as well as microns to suit the various farmers needs.

The most commonly used is the 30 micron mulch that comes in a 500m and a 1000m roll. Widths of 750mm and 2m wide.

The mulch can also be pre-perforated with planting holes on request.

We hope and trust that this information will help you decide on which mulch will be applicable for you application.
Send us an enquiry with your requirements and we will assist you in identifying the mulch which best suits your needs.

Benefits of Mulching

When applied correctly, mulch has the following beneficial effects on plants and soil:

• Mulches prevent loss of water from the soil by evaporation.
• Mulches reduce the growth of weeds.
• Mulches keep the soil cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, thus maintaining a more even soil temperature.
• Mulches prevent soil splashing, which not only stops erosion but keeps soil-borne diseases from splashing up onto the plants.
• Mulches prevent crusting of the soil surface, thus improving the absorption and movement of water into the soil.
• Mulches help prevent soil compaction.