Rapid urbanization and industrialization have resulted in rising temperatures over the years, disrupting the global agroecological balance. Thus, new environmentally friendly agricultural practices have been introduced to sustain food production. Mulching is one of them.
The advantages of mulching
Mulching can potentially serve many purposes: to conserve soil moisture, reduce soil evaporation, control soil temperature, reduce weed growth, and improve microbial activity needed to maintain healthy soil. In addition, mulching can provide economic and environmental benefits to agriculture. It can also add aesthetic advantages to landscaping.
Mulching is particularly useful for trees and plants that do not require significant care. Mulches help combat various stress conditions in farming lands and landscapes. They come in organic and inorganic types. Organic mulches consist of materials derived from plant and animal matter, such as straw, hay, dried leaves, hulls (such as peanut shells), and compost. Inorganic mulches primarily consist of plastic. Most commercial vegetable producers and larger farms use plastic mulches made of nylon, but some use other mulching materials, such as woven polypropylene and woven landscape fabrics.
Retrieving plastic mulches
After the crops have been harvested, some work still needs to be done. Plastic mulches must be lifted and loosened from raised vegetable beds so the soil can be prepared again for planting. If you own a large or commercial farm, taking these plastic mulches from one bed to another takes a lot of work.
But thankfully, these machinated mulch retrievers take much of the labor, making the work faster, easier, and more efficient, resulting in savings in operational costs.
Solex offers the following mulch retrievers from M.O.M:
Mulch Retriever and Extractor Retriever –
M.O.M.’s Mulch Retriever and Extractor Retriever are designed to collect plastic sheets from greenhouses and across the field.
The winder’s rotation is carried out by employing a hydraulic motor with rotation speed control. Unloading the collected material is accomplished by activating the hydraulic piston. The large guide roller facilitates the collection of the material, favoring the cleaning (elimination of water and residues present on the nylon) of the plastic sheets.
Winding nylon mod. “Extractor”
These machines are designed to undermine the collection of nylon sheets at the end of the vegetable growing season.
The winding nylon machine can be easily adapted, e.g., one nylon row of various sizes.
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The nylon extraction takes place using two stripping plowshares placed in a horizontal position which, from underground, raise the cloth detaching it from the ground.
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To facilitate detachment, the cutting discs divide the nylon into two parts, making collection much more manageable.
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Then, the winder follows to collect the nylon. The rotor has an adjustable speed and ends with the discharge of the material (through a hydraulic opening). The working depth (of the extraction) is regulated by two support wheels mounted on the frame. The operator can easily modify the height. It is possible to equip the winder with a control platform for an operator.
Double Drip Tape Retriever – Hose reel mod. “Double”
The Double Drip Tape Retriever is designed to collect and wrap the dripline of the drip irrigation systems of medium-large companies.
The winders’ rotation takes place utilizing a hydraulic motor with speed control. The collection of the dripline is easier and more homogeneous, thanks to the great height from the ground of the guide rollers, facilitating detachment of the hose at an angle of 70-90 degrees, minimizing breakages.
You can collect 8-10 rows simultaneously with the Double Hose reel. The collected material is unloaded using hydraulic cylinders that make the operation fast, efficient, and safe.
The control station for the operator has a versatile tool basket that rounds off the standard equipment.
The average daily working capacity varies from 8-12 hectares depending on the conditions in which you operate, such as the type of soil, age, present weeds, etc.
An average harvest is estimated at 8/10 hectares per day. A toolbox completes the structure of the reel.
Mulch retrievers from M.O.M. are built to take on heavy duties in a fraction of the time, saving time, labor, and operational costs. For more information on M.O.M’s equipment or equipment from other manufacturers, contact Solex at (707) 678-5533 or visit its site: https://solexcorp.com.