I use commercial landscaping fabric. After cutting about fifty holes, I switched to a torch and burned another 300 holes in about half the time. Weed free, saves water and the snails hate it. The black is good for Michigan, as it warms the soil, but you may opt for a lighter colored fabric. As for the dry, mine are planted on mounds so they resist our spring downpours. I would use straw until you are ready to replant. I personally hate straw as it seems to plant more weeds that it prevents and with all the rain we have, mold issues start to spring up.

If you get a bunch of small pots, you can pot up your runners NOW. You should have plenty of time yet in Oregon. They grow roots very quickly. Don't cut them from the mother plant until they get established. Keep them well watered. You can then replant them wherever you want. I moved an entire bed last year using just runners like these.

Ooooops, sorry for the dupe!.............

s, It all depends on your soil wetting pattern. Try 18" emitter spacing with two t-tape lines. If the wetting pattern is not reaching the whole plot add more lines and stagger the 18" emitter spacing. Trial and error is a good thing. aloha