Agricultural films and plastics solve three distinct problems: covering cultivation soil to control weeds, covering greenhouse structures to create a microclimate, or covering landscaping areas to avoid constant weeding. Each uses a different polymer with specific additives for its function. This comparison of the three Gardese solutions helps you decide which fits your project.
🎯 Choose in 10 seconds
- If you cultivate vegetables, strawberries, melons, or row crops with drip irrigation: go to Agricultural Ground Cover Film
- If you need to cover a greenhouse, tunnel, or intensive production shed: go to Greenhouse Film
- If you are doing landscaping, decorative paths, or permeable nursery ground: go to Weed Control Fabric
What to consider before choosing
Before buying film or plastic, evaluate these four criteria. They determine whether the material will last through the growing season or landscaping project, or disintegrate after a few months in the Caribbean sun.
- Desired structural function: mulching plastic covers the crop soil between plants (impermeable, controls weeds); greenhouse plastic covers the aerial structure (translucent, diffuses light); weed control fabric covers landscaping areas (water permeable, opaque to light). They are not interchangeable: using opaque plastic as a greenhouse cover prevents photosynthesis.
- Required permeability or impermeability: mulching requires impermeable plastic that retains moisture below and blocks weeds above; landscaping needs permeable fabric that allows rainwater or irrigation to pass without waterlogging; greenhouses require translucent material that allows radiation but also diffusion.
- UV additives and declared lifespan: the Caribbean sun degrades polymer quickly without adequate additives. Mulching requires UV for one growing season; greenhouse plastic, UV calibrated for 3 years; weed control fabric, UV with HALS stabilization for several years of landscaping. Without these additives, the material disintegrates, leaving micro-fragments in the soil.
- Color and finish according to crop or aesthetics: mulching offers three colors with distinct technical functions (black absorbs heat, black-silver reflects light to the crop and repels aphids, black-white moderates temperature); standard greenhouse plastic is diffuse translucent; weed control fabric is standard industrial black. Choose the color according to the technical needs of the crop, not aesthetics.
Agricultural Ground Cover Film: impermeable mulching for row crops
- Weed control by light blockage (no herbicides)
- Significant water conservation by eliminating direct evaporation
- Three chromatic finishes for different crops (black, black-silver, black-white)
- Compatible with subsurface drip irrigation (tape under plastic)
- Clean fruits without soil contact (key for strawberries and export)
- LDPE 25 µm gauge 100: lifespan of one agricultural season
- Single roll 1.2 m wide × 1000 m long (does not support wider widths)
- Requires installation with unwinder or manual equipment
Roll of 1.2 m (4 ft) wide × 1000 m (3280 ft) long in 25 µm (gauge 100) LDPE. Available in black (warms the soil, ideal for watermelon, melon, pineapple in cold soil), black-silver (reflects light to the crop and repels aphids, ideal for tomato, bell pepper, zucchini), and black-white (moderates temperature, optimal for strawberries and lettuce). Designed for row vegetables under greenhouse or open field, berries, cucurbits, pineapple, and certified organic production.
Greenhouse cover film: three-layer with 3-year UV-EVA-IR
- UV stabilization with 3 years guaranteed lifespan
- Anti-drip and anti-fog system that prevents leaf burns due to the magnifying glass effect
- Light diffusion for homogeneous photosynthesis without shadows or hot spots
- Gauge 800 (200 µm) resistant to hurricane winds
- Four widths available (4, 6, 8 and 10 m) by 50 m long
- Coextruded three-layer LDPE/EVA: higher unit cost than mulching
- Declared lifespan of 3 years (not permanent)
- Single length of 50 m per roll (limits covered area without joints)
Roll of 4, 6, 8 or 10 m (13, 20, 26 or 33 ft) wide × 50 m (164 ft) long in 200 µm three-layer LDPE/EVA with anti-drip, anti-fog, anti-UV and anti-aging additives. HALS stabilization protects against Caribbean solar degradation; hydrophilic additives convert condensation into a drainable sheet that prevents magnifying glass effect; diffusion disperses direct radiation into uniform indirect light. Designed for commercial chapel-type greenhouse covers, tunnel and multi-tunnel, low tunnels for strawberries and melons, commercial nurseries and agricultural sheds.
Weed control fabric: permeable polypropylene agrotextile with UV
- Calibrated permeability (allows water and air to pass to the subsoil)
- Total photosynthetic blockage (opaque to visible light, inhibits germination)
- UV resistance with several years of useful life in Caribbean climate
- Mechanical resistance to tearing and moderate pedestrian traffic
- Three widths available (1, 2 and 4 m) by 100 m long
- Woven polypropylene (not suitable for agricultural row mulching)
- Standard single black color (no chromatic options)
- Single length of 100 m per roll
Roll of 1, 2 or 4 m (3.3, 6.6 or 13.1 ft) wide × 100 m (328 ft) long in high-density polypropylene with UV stabilization. The woven fabric allows water and liquid fertilizers to pass to the subsoil preventing waterlogging, while opacity blocks weed photosynthesis. Designed for bases of decorative gravel or white stone paths, nursery and greenhouse floors to maintain pot hygiene, agricultural crops in rows of commercial orchards and layer separation in landscaping projects.
Comparative table
| Feature | Agricultural Mulching | Greenhouse Film | Weed Control Fabric |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary function | Cover crop soil | Cover aerial structure | Cover landscaping areas |
| Material | LDPE | Three-layer LDPE/EVA | Woven polypropylene |
| Gauge / thickness | 25 µm (gauge 100) | 200 µm (gauge 800) | HD woven |
| Permeability | Impermeable | Translucent (not impermeable) | Permeable |
| Declared lifespan | 1 season | 3 years | Several years |
| UV additives | Yes | Yes (HALS) + EVA + IR + anti-drip | Yes |
| Available widths | 1.2 m | 4, 6, 8, 10 m | 1, 2, 4 m |
| Length per roll | 1000 m | 50 m | 100 m |
| Colors | Black / Black-silver / Black-white | Diffuse translucent | Black |
| Drip irrigation compatible | Yes (tape under plastic) | — | Yes (irrigation over fabric) |
Use case matrix → recommended product
| If your case is… | Recommended product |
|---|---|
| Cultivation of tomato, bell pepper or cucumber in greenhouse or open field | → Agricultural mulching |
| Strawberry production with clean fruits without soil contact | → Agricultural mulching |
| Planting of watermelon, melon, or pineapple with weed control | → Agricultural mulching |
| Construction of commercial chapel-type or multi-tunnel greenhouse | → Greenhouse plastic film |
| Low tunnel for strawberries or melons with seasonal protection | → Greenhouse plastic film |
| Commercial nursery with permanent covered roof | → Greenhouse plastic film |
| Agricultural shed for low-profile crops with intense sun | → Greenhouse plastic film |
| Decorative white gravel paths in residential garden | → Weed barrier fabric |
| Commercial nursery floor with hygiene between pots | → Weed barrier fabric |
| Row cropping in commercial orchard with pedestrian traffic | → Weed barrier fabric |
| Raised garden bed base with separation of decorative layers | → Weed barrier fabric |
Before buying, define three key data points: surface area to cover (m²), necessary permeability (impermeable, translucent, or permeable), and expected lifespan (one season, 3 years, several years). Combining agricultural mulching for crop beds + weed barrier fabric for aisles between beds multiplies operational efficiency: crops benefit from the moisture and heat of mulching while aisles remain walkable, clean, and permeable.
Do not use weed barrier fabric as a substitute for mulching plastic in row crops. Although the fabric blocks weeds, its permeability allows soil evaporation (which loses the water advantage of mulching) and allows moisture to reach the fruit in strawberries, melons, and watermelons (which stains or rots on contact). Each material is formulated for a specific technical function.
Don't know what netting or plastic your project needs?
If you combine several uses (greenhouse with covered soil, nursery with walkable paths, plot with drip irrigation), ask the virtual assistant with details of the surface area, crop, and expected lifespan. You will receive an instant technical recommendation with the appropriate material, width, and configuration.
All compared products
Frequently asked questions
What color mulching should I choose for my crop?
Black for heat-loving crops that need warm soil (watermelon, melon, pineapple in cold soil); black-silver to reflect light to the crop and repel aphids (tomato, bell pepper, zucchini, eggplant); black-white to moderate soil temperature (strawberry, lettuce, heat-sensitive vegetables). Choose according to species and time of year.
Why does greenhouse plastic last 3 years and mulching only one season?
Greenhouse plastic is 8 times thicker (200 µm vs 25 µm) and has higher concentrations of UV-EVA-IR-anti-drip additives to withstand years of continuous exposure. Mulching is calibrated for one season because it is removed and replaced after harvest, optimizing cost per growing season.
Can weed barrier fabric be reused?
Yes, this is one of its strengths compared to agricultural mulching. If carefully removed when dismantling the project, it can be reused in another area for several seasons as long as it maintains its mechanical integrity. The UV stabilization calibrated for Caribbean climates ensures it remains usable for years under full sun.