Rain-Flo mulch layer

DFB · Feb 25, 2014

Reyer Farms said:
Yes disease is lessened with plastic. Pest can be too , silver mulch is supposed to deter aphids. I use black and ipm. I also like to skip a row with tomatoes. I till the tractor width skip and it lets air circulate better and helps keep plants drier and I feel helps lessen problems.
Moisture management- plants seem to be the most dehydrated in the morning, bed moisture is highest in middle of day. When heat is high moisture starts to come up and evaporate. Plastic stops this. We used an tensiometer or irrometer our first year. It's pretty neat. There is no way I would want to go back and plant tomatoes on bare ground.

Nice looking tomatoes Jody...do you get many disease problems where you are or any special kinds of tomatoes you use?

Reyer Farms · Feb 26, 2014

We plant heirloom tomatoes ( not resistant to anything ). We have been very blessed that pressure has not been real terrible. My wife is pretty savvy, and keeps everything in check. Tobacco mosaic virus, bacterial speck, and anthracnose are some we really try to avoid.

hunterridgefarm · Feb 26, 2014

Reyer Farms said:
Your strawberry fields look good. Is the date correct on picture? I'm guessing, but the bedding was done with a Reddick? Almost CAT yella color.
My bedder has tuck wheels and press wheels at the rear. I lay off rows one right after the next, pulling outside last tire track. Do any of y'all leap frog or skip one to pull common furrows? Instead of 1234 it would be 1324.

Yes, the date is correct. Usually plant late September/October. Not sure about the bedder, it is an old one and is pulled by 70-80 hp tractor. Then roll the double wheel over the beds and plant. This was the third or fourth year for the strawberries in this field. This year they have been moved to a different field for the next 2-3 years and will then be moved back to this field.

Thanks for the information, I need to get the fertilizer injector and was planning on the siphon type.