On 30 Jan, 18:10, "bill" wrote:
For the first time I am trying a black polythene mulch of 1m squared around
the base of a young fruit tree, as recommended to warm soil and suppress
weeds. (the tree is on a 25 degree slope)
However I am concerned that the tree will miss out on rain water, as it will
run over the sheet and not pass into the soil. Do I need to make some holes
in the plastic sheet or water the tree? Last year I did not have to water
without the mulch.

I've used a Tildnet black porous sheet which comes with its own little
nails to mulch around our red currant. I then covered it with bark
mulch. I wouldn't have used a plastic sheet as, as you said, it
doesn't let the water in. Around the rasberries I use cardboard and
newspapers and then bark mulch which I change annually. I find the
cardboard totally disapear. I didn't want to use cardboard around the
red currant because I have lots of forget me not and other flowers
growing around them as well as being very close to the strawberries
area. The wind (foxes, badgers, cats, birds etc) dislodge the
cardboards HTH