A bit late in game since it was cloudy for 2 weeks, but i hope to be transplanting in 2 weeks.
>>1498767North Italy, but not costal so weather is a little less mild. The foil keeps also the moisture inside, compared to the ones that were exposed to sun they were much much more humid (digged up the soil a few days ago). I have to water them everyday too when summer is hitting for real, but otherwise it's pretty easy. Strawberries almost manage all the season by themselves, sturdy little shits they are.
Last year tomato plants did very well with the mulching, melons and watermelons not so well but the olive trees you see were overgrown and shadowed all their area so i think it was lack of sun. I had half the soil covered and half left to the sun, and i concluded that it's just much more convenient to use it. Needs far less water, no weeds, and using the ones with transpiration you also can keep the advantage of rainwater and keep of fungi. I like it.
Olive trees are ornamental tho, it's not good enough weather for them to produce anything decent.