Growers and Grocers

One of my tomato plants with silver mulch underneath (photo: author)

If you garden, you no doubt know the wonders of mulch: it moderates soil temperature, conserves water and helps to build the soil. But silver reflective mulch, as opposed to plain old bark or other organic matter, can also repel pests, including thrips and aphids, on tomato and other vegetable plants. Silver mulch has also been shown to increase tomato-crop yields – by 24% in one study.

You can buy plastic silver-mulch cloth online or you can do what I did and make your own. I started this experiment in early spring when I transplanted my tomato seedlings. Once they were in the ground, I cut large pieces of cardboard and wrapped them in heavy-gauge aluminum foil. (You can get enormous rolls at warehouse stores like Costco). I taped down the loose edges with packing tape, poked a few holes in the center with a pencil for drainage, set them on the bare soil between seedlings and held them in place with rocks. (Eco-bonus: At the end of the season, I can peel off the foil and recycle it along with the cardboard.)

To be honest, I was worried that my super-cheap DIY might backfire. I didn’t know if the cardboard might foster plant diseases once it got wet and I worried that pill bugs might hide under the mulch and eat every plant in the bed. Neither of those things has happened yet. I’m already harvesting a few San Marzano Roma tomatoes and the Big Boys aren’t far behind. So far, so good. And so easy and inexpensive.