Soil covering and planting apparatus

A soil bed covering and planting apparatus adapted to be carried along the length of a soil bed by a conveyer vehicle, the apparatus including:

• a cover material reel configured to retain and supply a sheet of cover material,
• a compaction roller configured to feed cover material supplied by the cover material reel over a soil bed and being configured to press the cover material on to the soil bed,
• two spike hammers positioned adjacent to and at opposite sides of the compaction roller, each being configured to drive at least one spike through the cover material and into the soil bed to secure the cover material to the soil bed,
• an actuation structure associated with each spike hammer configured to urge the spike hammer against a spike, and
• a piercing assembly arranged to form a series of holes in the sheet of cover material, the piercing assembly being engaged with a drive structure which is configured to reciprocate the piercing assembly to drive one end of the piercing assembly through the sheet of cover material.