Adding Plastic Mulch Weed Barrier After Planting Seedlings

[TomatoDon]

I've always believed that the right way to use plastic as a weed barrier in a raised bed is to put the plastic down first and then cut the holes and add the plants. However, I also believe that the best way for me to plant is to plant in just the bare soil without the plastic, which could be added later. I can tend to the planting hole and the planting process much better that way. Another problem I faced this year is that recently I was behind with some plantings and spent an extra few days getting all the plastic down when I should have been planting.

The other problem I have seen this year is that it seems to put double stress on the seedlings to be transplanted, and it being on plastic, which is hotter, stressing them more. It works OK in the early season before the temps hit 90, but now the temps are so high that the plastic seems to be doing more harm than good. I'd like to finish planting a couple hundred more seedlings, and am tempted to just plant them and worry about the plastic mulch and weed barrier later. I do have some plastic from an irrigation company that is very thin and is black on one side and white on the other; the white being much cooler in these temps, but putting it down is such a hassle when I need to be planting.

I've tried several methods but can't come up with a good idea for planting and then adding my plastic weed barrier later. So, I'm hoping the growers here will tell me a good way to add the plastic later. I'll have several beds that are 8 x 100, and will have about 500 plants, so whatever I do has to be suitable and do-able on that many plants.

Thank you in advance.
Don