Re: [gardeners] solar killing of weeds
George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Mon, 11 Jun 2001 14:31:01 -0500
Well, I guess I should have put the wet part in my message. It's just that it's
generally wet here anyway. Just saw on the news that the Katy area of Houston
got 36 inches of rain from Alison. We only got 12 inches here.
George
olin wrote:
>
> In the warmish low desert (currently between 105 and 110 deg) we usually
> solarize pretty much as George suggested. But here it also helps to wet the
> area before applying the clear plastic. It encourages seed germination,
> then the propagules burn up from the heat. Solarization doesn't work for
> Bermudagrass roots. They go too deep and need to be dug out instead. -Olin
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "George Shirley" <gshirl@bellsouth.net>
> > Use clear polyethylene, cover the sides with dirt so no air gets under,
> leave
> > for about 6 weeks and it should sterilize the ground down about 6 inches.
> The
> > idea behind leaving that long is it kills the surface greenery then gives
> the
> > buried seeds and roots a chance to sprout and then kills them, etc.
> >...
> > George
> >
> > lneuru wrote:
> > > of weeds, that is. What does one use to solarize a patch of ground,
> black
> > > sheet plastic? How long is the ground to be covered, roughly? We are
> > > thinking of doing in some weeds while on vacation.
> > > Lucinda
> >