With today’s demand for increased food production and heightened awareness for the responsible use of our limited resources, ‘Plastic Mulch‘ is proving to be a justifiable addition to the cost of commercial vegetable production around the world. Plastic mulch is extruded from clear polyethylene resin into sheets of film of varying widths and lengths. Generally, the thickness is 1.0 to 1.1 mil (1 mil = 1/1000 inch) although thinner materials are available in high density polyethylene. Because of the inherent physical properties of black and other colored plastic mulches, it modifies the micro-climate around plants, enhancing growth, yield, and quality of horticultural crops. Over many years of experimentation and use since the late 1950’s – plastic mulches have proven to be a boost to agricultural productivity.
If you live where there is little or no open ground for a conventional row or raised bed garden opportunity, then you may want to consider growing in planter boxes or large containers. All you need is a sunny spot that receives 4 – 5 or more hours of sunlight a day and you should be able to grow many of your favorite vegetables and herbs.
Nutritious fresh lettuce can be grown in a greenhouse all year-round. Most lettuce varieties prefers cool weather and may develop spindly growth in conditions with a higher temperature range. The time from planting to harvesting ranges anywhere from 5-6 weeks out to 15 weeks, depending on the variety of lettuce that is grown. Each growing season has particular varieties of lettuces that are better suited to each season. In winter, the varieties are the slowest to grow but tend to be hardy and can survive a light frost. Warmer weather varieties will more than likely require some form of ventilation to keep leaf temperatures cool. Following are some basic steps to help you successfully grow lettuce all year long in a greenhouse. A)Germinate lettuce by sowing the seeds ¼ to ½ inch deep in a fine germination soil mix. Provide sun or artificial light and maintain a cool temperature setting of approx. 60 to 65 degrees to ensure a high percentage rate of germination.
