Question : How long does it take to solarize dirt ? I am interested in try it out , but I do n’t of necessity want to go away a lot of plastic on the dry land for a super long time if I do n’t have to . How does it work ? – Julia W
Answer : It generally takes around eight weeks to sun soil . Though this seems like quite an investment of time , it ’s crucial to understand the benefit of filth solarization .
Many gardeners use solarization for two purposes . The first is to obliterate off any seeds of weeds . This assist keep your garden tidier and constitute healthier during the growing season .
The other reason gardeners solarize their soil is to kill unwanted pestilence and disease that induce hurt to plants .
In some case , soil solarizationis the best method for cure certain disease such asfusarium wilt , blight , bacterial canker , and potato scab .
Keep in judgment , soil solarization works best in areas which get full sunlight . The mind is the soil must get hot enough beneath the plastic to shoot down off the things which harm your crop .
In most cases , it ’s best to practice grime solarization during the red-hot months of summer because the goal is to keep the day-by-day temperature around 110 degrees Fahrenheit between the top of the soil and six inches beneath the ground .
If you test to solarize your grease in cooler time of the year , the mental process may take longer as it will ask more meter to exhaustively heat up the soil .
It ’s wise to apply a ground thermometer to chequer the temperature of your grunge , daily , to ensure you ’re meeting the hope temperatures .
You may also solarize loose soil or soil in container . alternatively of spread over a large inground area with black credit card , place your containers or wanton ground in black trash bags .
It ’s best if the trash bags are layered . You must expect six to eight hebdomad for the process to complete , but the soil should get through temperatures well above 110 degree Fahrenheit as long as the bags are in full sun .
Be sure to set the black bags on a hard , elevated control surface to insure breeze can flow around them to maintain the integrity of the bag . A palette would be a good item to aid with this .
Hopefully , this entropy will avail you provide great care to your garden , keep your plant healthy , and your garden costless of weed .
More About Soil Solarization
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74145.html
https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/soil-solarization-for-control-of-soilborne-diseases.html
