What are the beds covered with? 

New technologies, garden tools, as well as the diligence of the vegetable grower help to grow strong seedlings and get a good harvest in the future. Many devices have been created to help gardeners. One of them is a covering material for beds, used in almost every technology for growing plants. The market offers a wide variety of fabrics of different sizes, densities and colors. Each material has its own composition, and, therefore, the properties are also different. What happens, and what the covering cloth is used for, we will now try to find out.

The difference between the covering material in composition

On the sales shelves, the buyer is presented with various types of covering material for beds, differing in their composition and purpose. In general, they can be divided into two groups: Film and non-woven fabric. Each material has its own density, and is designed to perform certain tasks in the beds.

Non-woven covering material for garden beds

Sometimes gardeners among themselves refer to non-woven fabric simply as a covering material, but most often it is called agrofibre. In retail outlets, you can find such brands of non-woven fabric as: Spunbond, Agrotex, Agrospan, etc. You should not look for differences between these names. This is the same agrofibre, only from different manufacturers.

A non-woven covering material is made from polypropylene, although it feels like a regular fabric to the touch. Despite its chemical composition, agrofibre is not toxic. The porous structure perfectly passes air, water, but retains heat over sheltered beds. Non-woven material is resistant to UV radiation, which is why it has a long service life.

Non-woven covering material is in great demand among vegetable growers, but it must be used correctly. Agrofibre is produced in black and white, as well as in different densities. Before using a nonwoven fabric, all these characteristics need to be paid attention to.

Depending on the density, the nonwoven material has its purpose:

• Density of agrofibre with an indicator of 17–30 g/m² says that the material will protect the plants in the garden from light frosts and burning UV rays. Often plantations are covered with such a light canvas from the invasion of harmful insects. Strawberries are saved from eating ripe berries by birds.
• Agrofibre, the density of which is 42–62 g/m², are used to cover arc greenhouses. The material is wrapped around low trees and shrubs in winter to protect against severe frosts.
• Agrofibre with the highest density of 60 g/m² similarly used in the manufacture of greenhouses. Dense black material is laid on the ground to protect against weeds.

Now let’s figure out why we need a different color of agrofibre. The white non-woven material allows daylight to pass through to the plants. It is used to cover greenhouses and sheathing greenhouses. That is, plants develop under white agrofibre.

Black non-woven material is designed for soil mulching. If a land plot is covered with such agrofibre, then it can be protected from weeds.

Gardeners who have used black non-woven material are convinced of its effectiveness in growing strawberries.

Black agrofibre should be laid on the entire bed and in places where strawberries will be planted, make cuts with a knife. The ground under the canvas with holes will always be warm and humid, which favorably affects the development of strawberries. The lack of contact of the berries with the ground will prevent the appearance of rot. The porous structure will allow you to water the bed on top of the covering material. Strawberries in the garden under a black covering material are completely protected from weeds. Moreover, the laid canvas does not interfere with the collection of berries. You can walk on it.

However, experienced gardeners advise cutting out round windows, as curved petals often interfere with caring for the plant. In addition, at the corners of a square hole, agrofibre breaks faster.

Polyethylene film

Shelter of greenhouses and sheathing of greenhouses with a film is still popular among summer residents. The advantage of this covering material is low cost, excellent light transmission, ability to protect plants from strong winds and frosts. However, the high density of polyethylene also determines its disadvantages. The film is not breathable. In order for the plants in the greenhouse not to become steamed, timely ventilation is required. Inside the greenhouse, water drops form on the surface of the film, creating the effect of a lens. The refracted sun’s rays burn the young foliage of plants.

Polyethylene film is sold in rolls, most often in the form of a sleeve. If a large width of the covering material is needed, the sleeve is simply opened with a knife or scissors and stratified. The variety of polyethylene covering material is much wider than agrofibres. Now consider the types of films for sheltering beds:

• Transparent polyethylene used as greenhouse cladding and greenhouse cover to protect seedlings at the beginning of the season. The film prevents the negative effects of cold wind and rain on young plants. Polyethylene does not withstand snow loads, prolonged exposure to UV rays and mechanical impacts with sharp objects. Usually this cheap shelter is enough for one season.
• Polyethylene with light stabilizing additives has a long service life. The film is not afraid of exposure to UV rays, so it can last at least three seasons. You can recognize such polyethylene by its yellow color. Over time, it fades in the sun, but does not lose its properties. The scope is the same as for transparent polyethylene.
• Reinforced film wins in strength. The material is resistant to mechanical damage, and new types are even able to pass moisture. Reinforced polyethylene is excellent for greenhouse cladding.
• Colored polyethylene in horticulture, they are used for mulching the soil. The film prevents the growth of weeds and the evaporation of moisture from the soil, maintains the optimum temperature of the soil. If you lay out the colored film along the aisles between the beds, you get a clean path without grass. In agriculture, colored films cover hay for winter storage and other objects.
• The black film 100% stops the growth of weeds. Used for soil mulching. Due to its resistance to destruction in the sun, black film is used in the technology of growing strawberries. The method is the same as when using black agrofibre. On the farm, black film is used in the construction of decorative reservoirs in the country, where it serves as a bottom waterproofing.
• Has a double effect black and white polyethylene. Most often, the film covers the soil inside the greenhouses. When laying, you need to make sure that the dark side lies on the ground. This will prevent the growth of weeds. The white side of the film is placed up. It will reflect excess sunlight.
• Air bubble film characterized by a high rate of thermal protection. The material is used to cover greenhouses or greenhouses, and then only in the northern regions. Sometimes bubble wrap can be found inside the packaging of fragile goods.

Durable films are used in the manufacture of vertical beds. If a bag is sewn from several layers of reinforced polyethylene, fixed on a vertical support and soil is poured inside, then ornamental plantings or strawberries can be planted. Moreover, plants can grow from a bag open on top or in cuts made on the side.

On the video you can see the varieties of covering material:

They strengthen the covering material on the beds as best they can. There are no special rules here. Most often, the canvas is sprinkled with earth or pressed down with a load. Binding to stakes driven into the ground is allowed.

Arrangement of paths using agrofibre

Mulching covering material helps in arranging garden paths. It can be a film or agrofibre, but it must be black. It is best to use non-woven material due to its ability to pass water. Puddles will never accumulate on the garden path after rain.

To make a path or arrange a decorative circle around a tree trunk, you need to dig a ditch as deep as a spade bayonet. The bottom is covered with black agrofibre, and on top they are covered with rubble, pebbles or other decorative stone. There will be no weeds or puddles in this area.

How to choose the right covering material

When choosing a covering material for your needs, you need to know that it is not always possible to replace agrofibre with a film or vice versa. Let’s look at how to choose covering material for beds and other work with a few examples:

• Transparencies ideal for sheltering greenhouses and greenhouses in early spring. Polyethylene will provide full access to daylight, which will extend the growing season of crops. The film will protect plants from frost and cold wind with rain.
• When there is intense heat during the day and cold at night, it is best to use agrofibre. The non-woven fabric is breathable and retains heat. Plants will be equally comfortable at any time of the day. When using film instead of agrofibre, the greenhouse will have to be opened during the day and covered at night.
• Polyethylene destroyed by many natural factors. To cover winter plantations for the whole winter, it is better to use dense agrofibre.
• Greenhouses in large areas with an automatic irrigation system are covered with agrofibre due to the ability of the material to pass water. Under the film cover, the beds will remain unwatered.
• Polyethylene will quickly tear if they wrap heat-loving shrubs for the winter. Agrofibre is well suited for these purposes.

Reviews

About how different covering materials are used in the beds, we will be helped to find out the reviews of summer residents and experienced gardeners.