Planting through black plastic

[caroline7758]

I've got several sections of my plot which have been covered in black plastic since before I took it over a year ago, so at least 2 years, I think. Last year I planted courgettes through the plastic without doing anything else (just a bit of compost in each hole), with great success.

Two questions- will the soil under the plastic be warmer than the rest? And what other crops would you suggest I could use this lazy method with? I'm thinking about potatoes.

[caroline7758]

[Aylana]

I am about to do it with potatoes, and I have just read on another thread that someone has done it with leeks and is going to try squashes this year.  I think will give courgettes a go too now that you have mentioned it!

[supersprout]

Hey caroline, as luck would have it several peeps are thinking about this at http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=57&/topic,18606.msg192290/topicseen.html#new

I have grown:
Squash family
Potatoes
Leeks

[sweet-pea]

I was going to try this with squash this year to take advantage of the other half of my plot which is still going to be covered with black membrane for this year at least!  I figured that the membrane would be good at keeping the squash clean, and it'll mean I can grow a lot more of them than I did last year.  Just love roasted squash  :)

[real food]

:)Have a look at my website where I give suggestions for growing all sorts of vegetables through porous plastic groundcover fabric.
Go to  http://web.onetel.net.uk/~davesherriff  and look under the Section "Organisation"

[caroline7758]

Thanks, everyone. Supersprout, your method sounds less "lazy" than I was intending, and I haven't got any rotted manure to use, but think I'll try the potatoes anyway, and probably courgettes again.