I ve had some great melon crops. Researching vegetable garden mulches I learned that I should be matching the mulch to the crop, weather conditions, and soil. It amazes me that I d never really thought about this, because it makes a lot of sense. IRT Mulch heats the soil and blocks weed growth. Not all vegetable plants like the same growing conditions.
Heat loving peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, and melons are great candidates for plastic mulch.
Applied in early spring, the plastic will raise soil temperatures and help warm the air around the plants. But most plastic mulches are not water-permeable. This means that as the season progresses, your plants may go thirsty. Inadequate moisture can stress your plants, lead to blossom end rot problems on tomatoes, and diminish your overall harvest. If there s plenty of rain or sufficient overhead irrigation, your plants' roots may be able to get the moisture they need from the pathways.