Guess Which Plastic Mulch Color Is the Tops for Tomatoes

Kansas State University horticulture expert Ward Upham says plastic mulches have long been known to provide advantages for the vegetable grower, including earlier fruiting, increased yields, and weed control. Research is showing that some crops do even better when colored plastic mulches are used. Fittingly for tomatoes, the color choice is … red.

“Though normally there is an increase in production of marketable fruit with red mulch over black mulch, the amount of the increase varies with the type of (weather) we have,” Upham says. “There may be no increase during years of near-perfect weather, or up to a 20% increase with less favorable growing conditions. An average expected increase is about 12%.”

For more information and tips on how to apply plastic mulch, continue reading at ksre.k-state.edu.