Gregory E. Welbaum and Jon D. Wooge Department of Horticulture December 1994 Plastic mulch, particularly in combination with trickle or drip irrigation, is widely used in the production of muskmelon, watermelon, and other cucurbits. Benefits of plastic mulch may include earlier harvest, weed control, cleaner fruit, higher yields, and improved water management. The added cost of the mulch is generally offset by increased productivity.
Plastic mulch is less widely used for pumpkin production.
The increase in earliness afforded by plastic mulch is not an important consideration, since there is little demand for pumpkins during the summer. Pumpkins are relatively easy to grow and generally compete well with weeds compared to many other crops. Some growers argue that the added cost of plastic mulch and drip irrigation would not be cost effective with a relatively low value crop such as pumpkins. In recent years, several new varieties of pumpkins have become popular. Relatively little is known about how these diverse pumpkin varieties perform when drip irrigation and plastic mulch are used.