Thermal blanket is a polypropylene geotextile fabric with UV treatment, light, permeable, low cost and harmless to the environment, worldwide used for frost control in agriculture, horticulture, fruit growing, nurseries, plants and home gardening, which manages to increase the temperature between 6 and 7 degrees the inner part covered. It is optimal for the protection of open field crops against the decrease of the environmental temperature. It will prevent the morning dew from wetting our plants and will also help them resist even the hardest frosts.
They do not need any special structure to be installed as they are very light, which allows them to be placed directly on all types of trees, vegetables or plants.
About the thermal blanket
Characteristics of the thermal blanket
- Allows direct treatment and irrigation of crops.
- It acts as a screen against insects.
- It does not absorb water and dries immediately after rainfall.
- It does not impede normal plant growth.
Advantages
- Increased productivity in the face of adverse factors.
- It protects plants from cold, frost and frosts up to -4ºC, as it creates a microclimate between the soil and the blanket that favors the growth of crops, preventing them from deteriorating before harvesting.
- Increased climatic comfort of the plant.
- Better photosynthesis in duration and intensity.
- Greater opening of stomata (occlusive cells that are part of the epidermis of the plant).
- It acts as a shield against inclement weather such as hail and strong winds.
- Avoid contact of plants with birds and insects.
Uses
- Vegetable crops (Zucchini, Cauliflower, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, etc. ….)
- Flower crops.
- Greenhouse (double chamber effect).
- Anti-frosts in autumn crops.
- Early spring sowings.
- Livestock applications (very useful as a vertical division in livestock buildings, as it can be placed between the roof and the animals to reduce the volume of air to be heated and achieve significant savings in heating).
Recommendations when installing the thermal blanket
- The suitability of the terrain: smooth and thin
- Favorable weather conditions: no wind
- Herbicide treatment is recommended
The blanket can be placed mechanically or manually, always in the direction of the wind, without leaving it too tight or too loose to allow the plant to grow.
The perimeter must be covered with earth to prevent the wind from lifting it.
The blanket is removed in good weather and without wind, without too much heat and in the frost-free period.
It is convenient to water after removing the blanket.
The blanket can be stored. For this purpose, it should be dry, free of soil and in a protected place.
