You have just purchased agricultural ground plastic. This is the bed covering used in professional orchards to accelerate crops: it blocks weeds, conserves moisture, warms the soil, and reflects light onto the crop. The choice between the three variants (black, black-silver, black-white) determines the thermal and optical performance. In this guide, we explain how to choose and how to install.
Product Specifications
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic with a thickness of 25 µm (Gauge 100), roll format 1.2 m wide × 1000 m long. Available in three surface versions depending on the crop's thermal and optical needs. The opaque side faces the ground to block weeds; the exposed top side determines the specific performance.
| Specification | Black | Black-Silver | Black-White |
|---|---|---|---|
| SKU | 686543 | 764009 | 863097 |
| Top Face | Black | Silver (reflective) | White |
| Thermal Effect | Warms soil | Reduces temperature | Reflects light to crop |
| Thickness | 25 µm (Gauge 100) | ||
| Width × Length | 1.2 × 1000 m (1200 m² per roll) | ||
Step-by-step Usage
Mulching plastic is installed before transplanting or sowing the crop. Correct installation determines the performance for the entire productive season.
Prepare the raised bed or growing bed
Using a rototiller or cultivator, create a raised bed with the appropriate height for the crop (15-25 cm) and a width of 80-100 cm for the 1.2 m variant. Level the top surface, remove stones and sharp sticks. If you are using drip irrigation, install the main line and drippers before covering with plastic (underneath the plastic).
Choose the appropriate variant
Standard black is the general choice: it blocks weeds and warms the soil (useful for crops that require heat). Silver reflects radiation and reduces soil temperature: useful in the peak Dominican summer for heat-sensitive crops or soils that are already very hot. Black-white with the white side up reflects light onto the crop from below: ideal for strawberries, lettuces, and horticultural crops that benefit from reflected light for additional photosynthesis.
The black-silver and black-white variants have a specific top side: install with the reflective or white side facing up. The black side faces the ground. For standard black, the orientation does not matter as both sides are the same.
Position the roll and unroll it
Place the roll at the beginning of the raised bed and unroll it along the length. One person can manage the roll by supporting it on a central stick that acts as an axle. For large areas, use a mechanical mulcher attached to a tractor. Pull taut slightly, removing wrinkles but without overstretching: the plastic contracts in the sun and excessive wrinkles will lift with the wind.
Secure the edges with staples or soil
Quick method: bury the lateral edges of the plastic by digging a 5-10 cm trench along the raised bed and refilling it with soil. Professional method: secure with metal garden staples every 1 m along each edge. In windy areas, combine both methods. The ends of the raised bed should also be buried or secured to prevent wind from getting underneath.
Make openings and transplant
Mark the position of each plant with the spacing indicated for your crop. Make a cross-cut (4-6 cm) or a circular hole with a hole punch over each point. Transplant the root ball through the opening, lightly pressing the soil around it. The plastic should fit snugly around the base of the plant without suffocating it.
For strawberries and horticultural crops in the Caribbean climate, black-white is the most productive combination: the white side up reflects light onto the foliage (improving photosynthesis and reducing thrips), while the black side down blocks weeds and maintains moisture without overheating the soil. Professional growers report harvest increases of 15-25% compared to standard black mulching under the same conditions.
Do not use standard black plastic for summer crops in the full Dominican midday sun. In full sun, the black side can easily reach 60-65 °C: surface roots are damaged, and fruits in contact with the plastic get burned. In these cases, use silver or black-white. Standard black works well in cooler seasons or with tall crops where the foliage shades the plastic.
Which mulching color for your crop?
If you have doubts about whether your crop needs black, silver, or black-white depending on the species, season, and sun exposure, ask the virtual assistant. It will guide you to optimize production and reduce crop stress.
Complementary Products
Agricultural mulching is complemented by fixings and, frequently, other crop covering products:
The metal garden staple is the professional fixing for anchoring plastic edges to the ground. Weed control fabric is the alternative for perimeter areas of the crop or ornamental garden: it blocks weeds but allows water to pass through. The greenhouse cover plastic is the natural complement in professional production: a greenhouse above + mulching below gives complete control of the crop environment.
Maintenance and Care
Mulching is a temporary product (1-2 crop cycles) that requires attention during its useful life:
- Roll storage: in a cool, dark, and dry place. A roll exposed to the sun for weeks loses much of its useful life before installation.
- Bi-weekly inspection during cultivation: check edges and openings. A wind-lifted edge can be re-secured with staples. An opening torn by the plant's stem can be filled with soil to maintain functionality.
- Service life under cultivation: 6-12 months for black and colored variants; the cycle coincides with the duration of the main horticultural crop. For strawberries or other longer crops, use specific Calibre 100 with greater durability.
- Removal at the end: after harvest, remove the plastic before it breaks down into fragments. Aged plastic breaks into small pieces and contaminates the soil with impossible-to-remove plastic microfragments.
- Recycling: LDPE is 100% recyclable. Collect used plastic, remove soil residues, and send it to an agricultural recycling center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use mulching to reduce irrigation?
Yes, it's one of the main benefits. Mulching reduces surface evaporation from the soil by 30-50%, which means less frequent or lower volume irrigation. In practice, a garden with mulching and drip irrigation under the plastic can be watered half as much as the same garden without mulching, while maintaining the same moisture in the root zone.
Can I reuse the plastic for a second season?
Calibre 100 (25 µm) is for a single cycle under full Caribbean sun. After 6-9 months, it already shows micro-fissures and breaks when handled. If it protected a short growing season (2-3 months) and the plastic is visually impeccable, you can use it for another season in a similar area; beyond that, do not risk breakage in the middle of the crop.
How many meters for my plot?
A roll of 1.2 m × 1000 m covers 1200 m² of linear beds. If your plot is 100 m long × 50 m wide with 1.2 m beds separated by 0.5 m, calculate: 50/(1.2+0.5) = 30 beds × 100 m long = 3000 m of plastic = 3 rolls. Add 10% for overlaps and waste.