[Trebor]

Mike007 – I had the same where plants started to keel over. The cause for me was overly wet soil. (I solved it by transplanting to larger pots, not watering and sticking over the radiator). I geminated in the airing cupboard as they usually need lots of heat – if you try it outside chances for success are lower, particularly early in the year. As they germinated and sprouted without light then I doubt covering and mulching will make much difference to start with, just make sure they can get to the light pretty soon after germination.

I can’t say on the carrots and over veg, but would guess it wont hurt, however any competition from weeds and soil that is not well prepared will probably give poor results. Again a guess, but maybe potatoes through covering are a better choice this year as they are less picky and will put up more of a fight with the weeds – you don’t need to earth them up this way and when you dig them out that will break up the soil helping to remove any stubborn weeds.

[paintedlady]

Before everyone starts throwing black plastic down and popping squash seeds through a hole, just a little extra info here    Do water the ground thoroughly (really really drench it) before covering with plastic.  I always sow my squash at home in pots and let them develop good roots before taking to the plot.  The planting hole through the plastic gets a good dose of high nitrogen feed (manure, bonemeal, fish blood & bone etc) before popping the plant in and backfilling with compost.

In the photo I posted you'll see the squash bed has been "fenced in" - the main reason is that when there is a westerly wind, the buildings in the background act like a funnel and I soon discovered a lot of my curcubits got a right thrashing and I lost quite a few of the plants  .  It also creates a "micro-environment" and the bed is actually warmer which squash like.  And yes, it helped to contain them (sort of) - some of my butternut must have been over 20 feet long  , and it still managed to go through one of the pallets, flower and produce a fruit actually on the communal footpath before I realised it had escaped!

[Trebor]

 - some of my butternut must have been over 20 feet long

Bet they take a while to eat. 

[Lady Lottie]

Thank you painted lady!  I have taken notes and made 40 of richyrich's paper pots to plant my pumpkin seeds into.  Its absolutely sloshing it down today - shame my polythene isn't ready and waiting - I'd have legged it upto the plot and thrown it down!

[David.]

I've got around 500m2 of polythene down for marrows, pumpkins, squashes, courgettes, cucumbers and tomatoes, all planted through a X shaped cut and transplanted from 3" pots into the ground using a bulb planter.

The crops grow better and need less watering, but can be more susceptable to mildew and it will frost over that polythene when every around  is untouched (as it keeps the heat in).

You cant peg marrow stems in (for extra roots to get larger marrows), but I simply use a polythene mulch mat when doing that.



Tip: cut the bottom off a plastic bottle, place the neck into the X cut and secure with a stick that will show above whatever you're growing - or you'll never find the hole when watering.

[Kristen]

Any good sources of mulch material?  its seemed quite expensive (I have a large area to do - 500 sq.m or probably more) whenever I have looked.

[celjaci]

Any good sources of mulch material?  its seemed quite expensive (I have a large area to do - 500 sq.m or probably more) whenever I have looked.

It's worth paying out for the good stuff as it works better and lasts many seasons.
IMO you need the woven ground cover material 'Phormisol'  'Mypex' or similar. It allows air and water to pass through and does not rip.

It comes in various widths up to 5m and 50 or 100m long so would be relatively easy to cover your large area. Also comes in different thickness/weight so not aiways easy to compare price.

I would try horticultural wholesalers in your area and also builders merchants as some are now using this instead of Terram under roads and drives.
You might get a 4m x 100m roll for around £120 +VAT which I think is good value for all you can do with it

[HLS]

I found it cheapest at an allotment shop, although I can't rememember how much offhand.  Some allotment shops are just for members but others are open to anyone, so it might be worth contacting your council's allotment officer if you don't know of any.