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 🎲🎲May 20
@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.
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 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 threadYora
@chgowiz @Gigi In your own garden, I don't see why not.
On a farm, that wouldn't be economical.
May 20 at 3:39pmWeb
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