Much of the early work on the use of plastic mulches for vegetable production was to define the impact that differently colored mulches had on soil and air temperatures, moisture retention, and vegetable yields. Based on this work three main colors of black, clear, and white predominate commercial vegetable production today, although white has been replaced largely by a co-extruded white-on-black. Plastic mulches directly impact the microclimate around the plant by modifying the radiation budget (absorbitivity vs. reflectivity) of the surface and decreasing the soil water loss. The color of a mulch largely determines its energy-radiating behavior and its influence on the microclimate around a vegetable plant. Color affects the surface temperature of the mulch and the underlying soil temperature.