[Granny]

Hi
Hello Everyone new here 
We  have just got our allotment.  It is not very near home and I  am going to be very busy this Summer and may not be able to water as often as I would like.
I thought of covering the soil with black plastic and growing the plants in holes through the plastic or slits in the plastic to help with water retention of the soil in case I have to miss a day or so between visits.
Anyone any experience of this way of growing?
I was thinking of doing this with lettuce I believe they don't like being dried out too much.
Thanks
G.

[HugglescoteGrower]

Most of my plot was covered last year, and despite the fact that rainwater cannot get thru the plastic it's amazing how damp and rich the soil is underneath, so from the point of view of retaining moisture I think your experiment would work. You would also surpress weeds of course.

The downside will be slugs and snails which will love the warm, dark damp atmoshpere the covers create, plus there have been a few suggestions that the warming effect the plastic will have on the soil may overheat the roots of some legumes which don't like getting too warm.

I plan to grow some crops through permeable weed membrane this year, and some direct into the ground and see which is easier and more effective.

[Kristen]

I think the black plastic will help.  But ... if you will only be away for a "day or two" then I wouldn't worry - only a greenhouse would need attention in that period!  Giving plants a thorough wetting and then leaving them alone for a bit is much better than little-and-often (or even a-lot-and-often). Watering often will just encourage surface roots, and then the plants will struggle to make it even through a summer's day ...

A good soaking will ensure that some of the water goes right down, and that will be there for several days (depending on how hot it is, and how much the plant needs to drink), so watering twice a week for Veg would be enough I think (and that's max, obviously if it rains, or isn't very warm, then the plants won't dry out as much)

[blackbob]

Hi
Hello Everyone new here 
We  have just got our allotment.  It is not very near home and I  am going to be very busy this Summer and may not be able to water as often as I would like.
I thought of covering the soil with black plastic and growing the plants in holes through the plastic or slits in the plastic to help with water retention of the soil in case I have to miss a day or so between visits.
Anyone any experience of this way of growing?
I was thinking of doing this with lettuce I believe they don't like being dried out too much.
Thanks
G.

use barley straw instead,it wond impede water retention and is a haven for ground beetles.