Michael / Chgowiz 🎲🎲May 20

Anyone live in the Zone5 area (northern-central Midwest US) and grown sweet potatoes using the "black plastic method"? (create a ridge, cover it w/blk plastic, cut holes in top and plant slips through holes)

I ask because the seed company (Harris Seeds) says I should leave plastic in place till harvest.

Instructions say "central/southern locations should remove after a month"

W/Climate change, its getting warmer in Zone5! What do you think?

#gardening #zone5b #NorthernIllinois

Show threadYoraMay 20

@chgowiz It should help reducing evaporation and keeping the soil moist. (But could also interfere with getting it wet.)

The layer right under the plastic could get very hot, but I don't think the heat would penetrate very deeply down before dissipating deeper into the ground.

If sweet potatoes grow like potatoes, I would be surprised if they somehow overheat from this. But I've not seen it tried either.

Show threadGigi 🍄‍🟫May 20

@yora @chgowiz

I wonder if a bunch of pinpricks would help with the ability to get water through it without interfering with its ability to heat the ground.

Show threadMichael / Chgowiz 🎲🎲
@Gigi @yora When I water my potato plants, I go directly to the plant, as opposed to just a hose/sprayer. So I'll just do the same, but make sure the water is getting under the plastic through the hole/slit.
May 20 at 2:59pmWeb
Show threadYoraMay 20
@chgowiz @Gigi I would try making a small hollow where the plants are coming through the plastic, so you have a shallow funnel that will direct the water to the hole.
Show threadGigi 🍄‍🟫May 20

@yora @chgowiz

Oh that's a good idea

Also, I was considering using some of the fabric as a means of keeping the microbes in the soil from splashing onto the plant. I typically use mulch for that purpose as well as for keeping the water in the soil longer. (I container garden.)

I imagine that the plastic is far more effective even. And maybe it'll keep some of the moisture OUT when we get heavy rains at the end of the season and the tomatoes start to swell and burst from over-watering.

Show threadMichael / Chgowiz 🎲🎲May 20
@yora I wonder if that's why the instructions told me to put a 2" trench in my dirt ridge? @Gigi
Show threadYoraMay 20
@chgowiz @Gigi I would guess that's it. Performs exactly the function I was thinking of, to deal with the issue I was seeing.
Show threadMichael / Chgowiz 🎲🎲May 20
@yora If that doesn't work, I can always lift the plastic, water, replace plastic?
@Gigi
Show threadYoraMay 20
@chgowiz @Gigi In your own garden, I don't see why not.
On a farm, that wouldn't be economical.
Show threadMichael / Chgowiz 🎲🎲May 20
@yora Yea, I'm only doing two rows of about 7 to 8 plants each. I only have about 75 square meters (812 sq ft) of space in my community garden plot. @Gigi