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Solarizing the Soil
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compiled by
Christine Millar, HCMG |
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Too hot to grow
anything? Tired of
fighting weeds? Think
ahead to prepare for
fall planting. |
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“Solarizing” could be
defined as trapping the
heat from the sun and
concentrating it on
garden soil in an
enclosed environment.
The intense heat
generated is used to
kill off weed seeds,
persistent weeds and
harmful organisms in the
soil without having the
resort to chemicals. |
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All you need are some
sheets of clear plastic,
preferably 1 to 4 mil
thick; about twice the
square footage of the
area you intend to
cover. Major hardware
chains sell it by the
roll in various widths.
You will also need some
objects to act as
spacers. |
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Start by breaking up the
soil either manually or
with a tiller. Rake the
surface until it is
rough but fairly level.
Water very well to a
depth of 12 inches (if
you have that much
soil).
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Cover the entire area
with half the plastic
sheeting. Place your
spaces which could be
bricks, smooth rocks,
cans, etc., evenly on
the surface of this
sheeting about 18”
apart. Lay bricks and
cans on their sides, not
upright. These spaces
will form air pockets in
between the two layers
of plastic sheeting. It
does not matter if the
two sheets touch between
the spacers. |
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Seal the plastic sheets
around the edges to the
ground by scooping soil
up and over the
perimeter of the
sheeting. Stones can be
used as well if strong
winds threaten to blow
away the plastic
sheeting. |
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Leave the solarizer in
place for a month or
two. When it is finally
removed the soil surface
should be free of weed
seeds, perennial weeds,
fungi and soil-borne
pests such as nematodes. |
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This process works very
well in the hot summer
months because the
sunlight heats up the
soil temperature and
kills off living things.
Earthworms migrate to
cooler areas and are not
affected. This is a good
way to prepare an area
for a garden bed without
the use of chemicals and
is very easy to do. |
Maintenance
Mulch all bare areas
Water deeply and
infrequently except
newly seeded or sodded
areas which need
frequent watering
Check all plants
regularly for signs of
pests or disease
Solarize new or planned
beds to kill off weeds
Mulch beds if you
haven’t already done so
Foliar feed roses every
two weeks
Water vegetables every
2-3 days if weather is
hot, dry or windy |
Suggested transplants
Pepper, tomato, basil,
oregano, thyme
Annuals such as blue
daze, portulaca,
purslane & zinnia
Perennials such as
black-eyed susan,
ornamental grasses,
Mexican bush sage
Desert plants such as
agave, nolina, sotol and
yucca |
Suggested seeds
Chard, cucumber, okra,
black-eyed peas,
pumpkin, salsify
Summer & winter
squashes, watermelon,
eggplant, beans,
cantaloupe, sweet corn,
New Zealand spinach,
Annual flowers such as
cosmos and morning glory
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