The totally biodegradable mulch

Why mulch?
mulching transplanted crops improves quality, yields and earliness, reduces the need for herbicides, optimises irrigation management and preserves the natural soil structure.

Why mulch with Biolene?
Biolene, the totally biodegradable mulch delivers all these benefits plus it eliminates the real and increasing cost of recovery and disposal of conventional plastics.

Biolene is made from a non-GM starch base, with stretch and laying qualities comparable to conventional films. Biolene can be applied with conventional bed forming & laying machinery and is suitable for planting by hand or with mechanical rigs. Ecxellent stretch qualities ensure close contact with the soil surface and good shoulder burial. Degradation is reliable and complete, providing a clean crop and simple disc incorporation of any remaining film with the crop debris. Biolene breaks down entirely by microbial action, rather than by moisture or light, ensuring a consistent and predictable life expectancy. Inherent cost & application problems of traditional starch, paper and photodegradable mulches are eliminated. Biolene is the ideal mulch for use in organic farming systems.

Trialled, Tested and Recommended
Biolene has an excellent track record throughout Europe - extensive UK trials have shown excellent results under a wide variety of crop and soil types and irrigation schedules. Tested by some of the UK's most experienced growers, Biolene has received glowing recommendations.

Our thanks to the following Growers for their assistance in the 2003 trials programme: DG Produce Limited, Langmead Farms Limited, Riverford Organic Vegetables, National Herb Centre and South Devon Organic Producers.

Specification and Recommendation
Available in two grades, Biolene provides a range of breakdown rates to suit all soil types. Biolene 'A' has a maximum life expectancy of 16 weeks and is ideally suited to mineral soils and for crops providing a rapid soil cover. Biolene 'B' has a maximum life expectancy of 26 weeks, ideal for slower growing crops and the more microbially active (organic) soil types. Biolene is available in black and brown. Brown offers soil warming properties which are valuable when early planting into heavier, cold soils. Biolene, in a variety of widths, at 1500 linear metres per roll reduces changing downtime - there is a Biolene to suit everyone.

Real Cost of Conventional Polythene Mulching
The real cost of mulching with conventional plastic can be almost TWICE the price of the film alone when the escalating costs of removal and disposal are included - as illustrated by the table:

UK trials data available on request.