After black plastic has done its job of pre-warming the soil, you can either take it up and store it until next spring, or cover it with your wood chips or something else, like grass clippings or straw. If it's not perforated plastic, it probably block more rain than it should, so you'll need to watch your broccoli.

Unless you're in a really cold climate, I question whether black plastic is worth the trouble. Using cloches and hot caps seems more pleasing to the plants, and keeps ths surface open for watering, and for topdressing with compost, grass clippings, or other biodegradable mulch.

Hope your broccoli is growing well. When days start nudging closer to 80 it will really take off. Expect an exciting May!

Here is a link that might be useful: my website

Are those your only 2 choices - black plastic or wood chips? Reason I ask is neither is the ideal for the vegetable garden. As bcomplex said, grass clippings, straw, hay, shredded leaves, compost will all work better as a mulch assuming you can get them. Plus both plastci and wood chips really attract slugs - one of broccoli's worst enemies.

You might want to check out the Soil, Compost & Mulch forum here for even more ideas. Good luck with the broccoli.

Dave

I put wood chips in the paths and use straw as mulch around my plants, if need be. I like straw because it breathes. To keep out weeds you can lay down several layers of wet newspapers and then pile the straw on top. Earthworms love it!

I've used shredded leaves too with excellent results. As the straw or leaves decomposes, it adds nutrients to your soil that are beneficial to your soil and therefore your plants.
By the end of summer your soil will be loose and next year so light that you may not even need to cultivate it before you plant.

In the fall you can do the same thing after all your spent crops are removed. Lay down 6 or more layers of wet newspaper and pile on fall leaves, composted manure and more leaves (or your old straw). By next spring, your garden soil will be awesome stuff with little or no weeds.

Hope this helps.

Annie

Black plastic will work fine for broccoli for the entire year. I've used it for many years now and am very satisfied with plant performance. I lay a 4' sheet with a plastic layer and plant 2 rows of broccoli into that plastic. Having dual drip tape lines (one for each broccoli row)under the plastic will ensure that the plants get water in dryer weather although in wet seasons enough water will wic under the sides if you don't lay down wider sheets of the plastic.

Broccoli does prefer cool weather but the two biggest problems with growing it are worms and rotting heads. The type mulch you use won't affect either of them. The mulch does however help to conserve moisture and keeps weeds out. For those reasons I'd leave the plastic in place til December.

Thanks for all replies.

Guy