planting squash through membrane

[vicki]

Am I ok covering a whole bed with weed suppressant membrane and planting all my courgettes, pumpkins and butternut squash through it? I'm sure I read somewhere that squash/pumpkins put out roots as they sprawl to get more water/nutrients and I don't want to starve them if they can't do that

[rustylady]

They'll put out roots below the membrane, don't worry. As long as your membrane is permeable (i.e. lets water through) you should be OK. The only problem I foresee is making sure they get enough water - they're very thirsty plants.

[zazen999]

I hope so as that's what I am doing this year.

[Paulottie]

I dug out quite a large hole for each plant with a bulb planter (1/2 a buckets worth) and replaced it it with very well rotted muck and compost as a sump. I then buried the pot next to the plant to aid the watering.( an old bottomless bottle is better) The membrane does help retain the water though.... it is just a bit difficult to get it in there in the first place as we are on a slope. a few of them have the Rolls Royce option of a seep hose though!

[Mrs Dobby]

We've planted ours through a cardboard mulch, basically the bed has been covered with thick cardboard, planting holes cut through it and a pot or bottomless bottle dug in next to the squash or pumpkin for watering. Hopefully this will keep the weeds down as the plants grow, and retain some moisture aswell.

Its a method we're trying for the first time this year, and are planting everything large through a cardboard mulch to save on weeding, hopefully it will work well for us!

[PAULW]

I have used straw as a mulch to keep the weeds down, For the last couple of years I have put a cane next to the roots then when the squashes start to spread you have something to aim a jet of water at saves trampling the plants trying to get to the bottle/pot to water them.

[raine]

We've decided to try the cardboard mulch as well, on the bottom half of the allotment which, after being dug over last year, was neglected and now looks like a jungle again! Mrs Dobby, did you strim grass/weeds etc first?

[Mrs Dobby]

Lol! Strim it, nah, Mr D (now nicknamed on our site 'The Human Rotovator') dug it over first, as we'd already got the structure in place (paths etc) on our new plot, so once the beds were dug we've mulched it with cardboard to stop the weed seedlings basically!

[yoanbob]

we planted through membrane last year, all was well.