Another silly one!

[Dianaalice]

Newbie again, I would love to grow through polythene or some other dense mulch but how would you water the crop enough if you haven't got access to a hose pipe?
Could anyone give me any suggestions on the best types of mulch to use.

Thank you for any ideas.

[Feral007]

I use cardboard or newspaper with hay/straw over the top. I haven't found growing through poly works for me. But I'm sure some people do it.

[rustylady]

What do you want to grow, and why do you want to grow through plastic?

I'm presuming it's not vegetables because I can't see that working at all - how would you sow seeds, and how would you be able to harvest the likes of potatoes?

[Bill HH]

I presume you are intending this for individual plants not for seeds, well when you make a hole in the plastic its never so small that you cant water throught it, and if you make sure each plant is in a bit of a depression then water on the plastic will flow into it.

[rary]

You could use a weed suppressant membrane this lets the water through but keeps the light of the weeds if you are putting individual plants in cut a X in it and plant if you want potatoes, again plant at the X, I always plant my early potatoes deep to avoid frost damage. I have also came across clear perforated poly. sheets which allowed you to cut slits in it ad sow seeds etc. that bit earlier as it kept the heat in and allowed the rain water through, but also allowed the weeds to grow as well, that over cardboard?? worth trying! I must give that a go.

[Glutton4...]

Hello, and welcome to the Madhouse!

Personally, I wouldn't use plastic of any kind, or a weed membrane, as they both provide ideal hiding places for slugs - I HAAAATE Slugs! I also find the ground seems to 'sweat' and become stagnant beneath.