Growth Enhancement 1 G.J. Hochmuth and R.C. Hochmuth 2 Cool temperatures play a large role in the uncertainty of vegetable production in Florida. Production seasons should progress in timely fashion up the peninsula. However, cool temperatures can slow development of crops such that seasons in different regions overlap. This problem can be worsened in northern Florida when cool temperatures cause overlapping with more northerly states. Production systems that moderate temperature and protect from cold winds can provide for more consistent crop timing and even earlier harvests.
Plastic mulch is one technique that can be used to secure earlier yields.
Another tool for growth enhancement is row covers. Row covers are flexible, transparent, or semitransparent materials used to enclose single or multiple rows of plants with the objective of moderating temperature and protecting from wind. Clear polyethylene provides increased temperatures by the greenhouse effect. Clear tunnels usually increase temperature too much for most days during the spring in Florida, so the tunnels need to be ventilated by perforating the plastic. White polyethylene can provide some growth enhancement while avoiding the extremely high temperatures in the tunnel.