BackyardBouquets_17 The method you describe is how most of the row crops are grown commercially, especially the melons and other heat-loving veggies. Drip tape is laid under the plastic for irrigation and holes are made in the plastic to plant the plugs.
When I grew from tubers (I now grow 95% from cuttings) I would always cover the rows with black plastic until the tubers sprouted and broke ground. Then I would peel the plastic back just enough to expose the sprouts but still provide some heat. With this method I would get blooms 3-4 weeks earlier than without using plastic to heat the soil.
