Automator & Reflective Red Mulch

Does anyone use the Automator for tomatoes?

I'm interested to know how well they work. I grow tomatoes in an area where I must carry water to my plants. So I really need to conserve water as best I can.

This year I'm thinking about using an Automator. I'm also considering using some of that red plastic mulch.

Does anyone have any experence with these items or know the best place to buy them from?

Thanks,
ThatGuyBry


Automator Link: http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10066&langId=-1&mainPage=prod2working&ItemId=6384&FromTextSearch=tomato%20automater

Red Mulch Link: http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10066&langId=-1&mainPage=prod2working&ItemId=9262&FromTextSearch=stock

Never used the products but that 's not to say it doesn't work. The automator costs $2.00 ea. For that price -try it!
As far as the red mulch is concerned, it's supposed to really improve the yield but can not be used in tropical climates according to "Gardeners Supply Company." It provides too much heat and you do not show your location so use your own judgement. When answering a person's question , it really helps to know in what zone they live.

The PR blurbs for the red plastic mulch say a 20% yield, but that is highly inflated.

That red plastic along with all the other colored plastic mulches was developed for use in commercial fields where determinate hybrids are being grown.

You have to have at least three feet of no vine on either side of a plant clear, with only the plastic showing, in order for the reflective properties to work.

Let's say you're growing a variety that normally would give you 20 big fruits, maybe something like Aker's West Virginia or Tidwell German. Your precent increase is not the 20% PR number, it's closer to maybe 10%, so you'd get maybe 22 fruits.

And that's with plenty of space left near the plants that is clear of tomato foliage.

Then look at the price of this red plastic and ask your self what the tradeoff is.

I don't think it's worth it and it really bothers me that figures of 15-20% increase are given and no one in print talks about the fact that you have to leave so much room bare for reflective properties.

So I guess you know what I think of use of this stuff for home gardener use. LOL

If you want increased production I suggest that you chose a variety with known high production.

Carolyn

Thanks for the info on the Red Mulch. It doesn't sound like it is worth it.

I have been using black embosed mulch for 3 years now and find a higher yeild with it. This year I am trying the silver mulch and the red. I ordered from robertmarvel.com. I really dont think the color brings higher yeilds but I do know that using the mulch will bring higher yeilds of tomatoes. I live in a zone that gets quite hot and have no problems. If your looking at drip tape look at robert marvel they have qil queen wich is by far the best. I know a commercial farmer that uses it on several hundred acres of watermelons ,onions and tomatoes and has great success.

I forgot to add that a friend of mine last year had tomato plants in red walls of water as well as the standard clear color. Same variety of tomatoes in the same row . the tomato plants in the red walls of water out grew the ones in the clear but not a great differance in yeild.

I tried the red mulch some years back and saw no difference at all in the harvest/yield. And to me, as Carolyn stated above, a "whopping 20%" increase is not worth messing with. If you want to use a plastic mulch then it would certainly help hold the moisture in the ground and helping to reduce watering needs, and also reduce weeding! (That may be why you see an increased yield, David. Isn't it rather dry where you are?)

As for the automators, I have two or three of them sent to me to trial (a few years ago!) and I never got around to trying them. Maybe this year I'll do so.

Yes it is very dry where I'm at. WE usually dont have any rain from may till July and lord help us if it rains in june cause were going to have a dry summer. I normally use black colored mulch and it really helps with holding in moisture. As far as water goes we irrigate out of the verde river wich is all spring water. I will be farming some more acerage this year but will be using drip tape. Here in Arizona we are really starting to have some water issues since we have been in a 9 year drought and the people keep moving here.

I know the feeling...last year was our first wet year. We were in a 7 yr drought before that.

I tend to use soaker hoses anyway so it didn't affect me much. (Plus I use less water than most folks I know...don't know why they like to use so much!)

People are moving in everywhere it seems. What once was secluded is now "desired for the seclusion"...guess that will be the end of that, eh?

Hope to hear more of your gardening endeavors, david.

I tried the red mulch plastic and didn't see a lot of difference in yield but the plants covered the red by the time toms were setting, I know one trial is not proof of success or failure. Could be I didn't see a lot of difference because I did not have the three feet exposed around the plants.

Yes the automaters work again I didn't see a huge difference. They do help with weed control and moisture loss but my soil tended to plug them up and I ended up punching the drain holes larger. I am not going to use them again this year.

Drip tape and black plastic works for me so guess I will stick with that. I am going to try a silver mulch on some Cauli and Broc to try to deter aphids.

You are better to use black plastic if put down properly the roots need as much heat to grow as needed. You need a high water content before laying down the plastic