My raised garden beds.

[Alleyyooper]

Was my reason for the depression so rain water would run down thru the plastic. See a lot of comerical growers using it and also a red color.

From http://www.planetnatural.com/tomato-gardening-guru/growing-tomatoes/
Augmenting light or heat: Spreading black plastic over the soil around tomatoes will help the soil absorb and retain heat. It also reduces water evaporation and controls weeds and some insects, specifically those that winter in soil but then need to become airborne to feed or reproduce. (See more on this and other mulching options under mulching, on this site.)

   Al

[Alleyyooper]

http://www.gardenguides.com/110017-grow-tomatoes-black-plastic-mulch.html

Overview

Black plastic mulch is a valuable tool for those who wish to grow tomatoes in cooler climates. In areas where the growing season is short, tomato plants often fail to produce fruit. Black plastic mulch raises the soil temperature from 3 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit, giving the plants the heat boost they need to produce fruit all season long. You should avoid using black plastic mulch in hot, humid climates because it will trap too much heat in the soil, killing the tomato plants' roots.


Step 1

Use a hand tiller to loosen the top 6 to 8 inches of soil in the garden bed. Remove and discard any rocks, loose roots and other debris.

Step 2

Sprinkle a layer of garden fertilizer onto the prepared soil. The standard amount of required fertilizer is four pounds for every 100 square feet of garden space. Mix the fertilizer into the soil with the hand tiller. Soak the whole bed with water from a garden hose.

Step 3

Dig two 4- to 6-inch-deep trenches along opposing edges of the garden using a shovel or hoe. Unroll the black plastic mulch slightly, placing about three inches of the end into one of the trenches. Fill that area of the trench up with dirt to anchor the black plastic mulch in the ground.

Step 4

Unroll the sheet of mulch across the length of the garden, stopping at the other trench. Slice the length of mulch from the roll with a sharp knife, leaving about a 3-inch tail on the end. Lay the tail in the trench and cover it with dirt to hold it firmly in place. Repeat this process, slightly overlapping the lengths of plastic mulch, until the entire garden is covered.

Step 5

Cut 6-inch slits in the plastic, spaced two to three feet apart. Reach through each slit with a small spade and dig a hole that's about twice the size and depth as the seedling's root ball. Slide a tomato seedling into each hole and fill the hole with soil.

Step 6

Water the plants lightly each day by sliding the hose underneath the plastic mulch through each seedling slit. Tomato plants grown with plastic mulch will not require intense watering, but they do need a bit of moisture each day. If the soil under the black plastic mulch dries out, it can be very difficult to reinvigorate.
I would string a soaker hose and leave it all summer under the plastic 
Step 7

Leave the black plastic mulch on the garden bed until after the growing season has ended.

   Al
 

[LazyBkpr]

My Neighbor plants his entire garden through black plastic. Leaves it in place all year, puts a new piece down when necessary.
   I envy his knowledge.. he fertilizes/waters and seems to do everything right. His tomatoes are over 5 feet tall every year. corn, cukes etc all grow like wildfire in his garden..
   Me on the other hand...  I struggle...   Rabbits and deer are a primary concern...  I planted 40 Grape plants this spring, there are 25 left the rabbits and deer have not yet eaten, and will not eat...   




    The Mini 14 is taking a serious toll...      I now sit beside the fence line every night, rifle and rum and coke, wave at the neighbors as they go by..  Often they stop and ask me to go to their house next.

   Most of my garden this year is in barrels.. 55 gallon barrels cut in half lengthwise, and I used a bunch of scrap wood to make stands..   At this point I am considerably impressed..   I walk up to my barrels, and weed them without ever bending over......    I used 5 gallon buckets to plant tomatoes in, hanging upside down...  and then planted cukes in the top of the buckets.. I hung the buckets, and am running the cukes over the top of a hog panel so the cukes themselves hang down.. I walk under and pick them when they are ready....   So far so good...  I lost a couple tomatoe plants when the handles ripped out of the cheap 5 gallon buckets...  lesson learned, I wired them after that...
   

[Dunkel]

I'm going to try some next year.  Especially tomatoes, I haven't been able to step foot in my garden for over a month due to soaking rains.  I'm out of tomatoes and haven't canned any for two years.

[Alleyyooper]

Well raise beds can/will solve your drainage problem.
Look out farmers market here comes Dunkle

   Al

[Dunkel]

Too hard to come by to sell, they could never afford them

[Alleyyooper]

Go to buy a couple bushels to hold you over.

   Al