What is agrotextile, how and why it is used

Weeds grow with great speed even in dry times, and after the rains you do not have time to weed the beds. Pests overpower, and we have to treat plants with chemicals so that the bugs do not eat the tops, without which the harvest is impossible. Such problems are solved by mulching. This procedure is much easier if you cover the soil with a special agrofabric.

What is an agricultural cloth

Agrotextile is a woven material of polypropylene fiber with a microporous structure, the texture resembling burlap. It allows light and air to pass through to some extent, but not enough for weeds to grow.

The soil can be watered through the agro fabric. It allows liquid and fertilizer formulations to pass through quickly. Moisture evaporates more slowly and more evenly than from the open ground. Such a coating promotes soil friability, it does not dry out, stays crumbly, and does not crack.

Plants grow through the holes in the fabric, and their leaves flock over the material. The fabric is also spread around the plants. When the fruit is ripe, it comes out clean, which is especially important for strawberries or cucumbers if they are flocking on the ground.

Agro fabric can be used to mulch the soil only between the rows in the beds. Plants are more protected from pests and less chemicals can be used. After irrigation, the moisture remains in the soil longer.

Properties of agrotextile:

• High durability - you can walk in shoes on the material. The fabric will not stretch or tear.
• Wear resistance - lifetime of agrotechnics - 5-7 years.
• Density from 70 to 130 gr / sq.m.
• Resistant to harsh substances, chemicals and fertilizers.
• On the agrotextile does not settle mold, the material does not rot.

How to use agricultural fabrics

The material is sold in rolls of various widths. Agrotextile is spread on seedbeds of any relief and fixed at the edges of the stakes. The fabric is marked and cross cuts are made to mark the places where seedlings are planted or sown. The plant sprouts into these holes and the haulm ends up on top of the cover, gets enough light, the flowers are pollinated.

A few ways to use the agrotextile:

• The material covers the soil around grapes and shrubs. The weeds practically do not grow. The gardener, caring for fruit plants, treads on the material, but it retains its insulating properties for a long time and does not collapse.
• To accelerate the ripening of fruits, in the greenhouse the soil is mulched with white agro fabric. It reflects light and more of it reaches the plants, stimulating their development.
• Black material absorbs light, accumulates heat, and accelerates plant growth in the spring by warming the soil.
• Agro fabric can be left on the bed for the winter. It protects the roots of perennial plants from freezing. And in spring, before planting, it does not allow weeds to develop.
• For beauty, agrotextile can be sprinkled with sawdust or small chips. This is the way to decorate flowerbeds, landscaped areas.

With all the advantages of agrotextile it has one disadvantage - high cost. To save money, you can use cheaper and thinner agrotextile to cover areas with cultivated plants, and for insulation between the rows - a material with increased wear resistance.