In order to reduce our water and chemical use, we plant all of our crops in beds that are covered in a biodegradable plastic mulch. This helps to keep the root zone wet and warm and reduce evaporation. We water and feed our plants through a drip-tape that is buried under the plastic. While we are not organic, our irrigation management ensures that no residue is present on our crops. 

Is all that plastic sustainable? The biodegradable mulch gets worked into the earth post harvest. It typically takes 6-8 months to degrade fully - consumed by soil microbes. All main irrigation parts are reusable and the drip tape is collected and hauled to a plastic recycler. We buy and use recycled plastic to produce our nursery containers.