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Re: Bill's query to Janet re warming the soil

> > I understand that black plastic does help the soil warm up more
>readily than
>  clear or red plastic.
> ... quicker and hotter. I'm not clued in on red plastic.

I cannot comment on red plastic as far as heating the soil.
However on CNN technology news hour about a month ago they
were talking about colored plastics as far as covering the ground.
They talked with some researcher somewhere doing experiments with
numerous different colors and materials (yellow, red, green... Silver ,
clear)
And they noticed that tomatoes planted through a red plastic had a
tremendous
growth and yield difference.  Sometimes up to twice as much.  They did not
know why exactly but the researcher hypothisized that the red reflection
might
'look' like another tomato plant and that this tricks this plant into
growing
faster so as to out compete the other plant.
The also interviewed a farmer who was using these techniques.  He mentioned
using yellow plastic on certain squash plants.  He said he didn't get
bigger
plants but that they produced usable produce sooner.  Having squash to
market earlier than everyone else by two weeks, (for him) resulted in being
able to sell the produce for 2-3 times what it would be worth at seasons
peak when everyone else was selling to.

I have not tested this yet.  Many others have commented on Red plastic
mulch for tomatoes...

Just sharing this tidbit.  I plan to use red for my tomatoes inside this
summer
and in my squarefoot beds next summer.  I plan to do one bed this one way
and one bed without.  I'll report what I find.

Right now I just fininshed covering the beds.  Might be getting frost
tonight
in Lincoln Nebraska and I am unwilling to do without fresh peppers, spices
and tomatillas.  That's all I still have producing here.

        Ron Souliere

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