We are just over 2 months into this experiment. I’m trying to remain patient! We haven’t had the typical 100 or high 90 degree temperatures typical for August and September as in most years. For this solarization to work, we need heat! Not that I’m disappointed in our cooler than normal summer, mind you! But this may take more time than I had hoped!

You can see by the first picture that nutsedge has most definitely grown under the plastic but it is also dying. I am concerned that there is still the green growth. And in an area that is shaded in the mornings, there is even more green growth and from more than just nutsedge. But I am encouraged that I do see weed DEATH!!

Now, because of the way we secured the plastic, if you read from my first post, we used a channel of soil at the edges of the raised beds to cushion the t-posts and/or 2x4s. Great idea….until I looked closely. OMG there is nutsedge growing in this soil cushion! I don’t know if it came in the soil itself or through the plastic. So I investigated further. While I didn’t get my answer as to its origin, I certainly got the result. The nutsedge indeed has penetrated the plastic!! Yikes, that is serious stuff! No final results yet as I intend to leave the plastic on for at least a couple more months. I’m encouraged, with reservations!

I love to garden. I love growing my own fruits and veggies, knowing where my food comes from, what chemicals have, or moreover, have NOT been used on the food we eat. But it doesn’t come without its challenges! Pests, weeds and diseases can show up no matter how much time and care goes into it. I’ve used companion planting, trap cropping, physical removal of weeds and pests, chickens and guineas for bug control, crop rotation, etc etc all in an effort to reduce or control pests and disease.

I have some success but also some epic failures! Last year, the squash bugs decimated my zucchini, this year, the leaf footed bugs have completely ruined my artichokes and peaches and did a number on my tomato crop too.

Yes, I am an admitted lazy gardener but this year’s wonderful Spring rains, which took a big load off of the watering chores, allowed the nutsedge and dayflower to take hold in abundance! So, I’m ready to take my Gardens UNDER THE PLASTIC.

No, I’m not talking about a greenhouse or hoop rows. I’m talking about SOIL SOLARIZATION. This will involve using a very passive but effective method of using the suns rays and corresponding heat to kill off weed seeds, insects, soil-borne diseases and other harmful soil organisms to give the plantings a boost.

Over the next few months, I will update on the process as I tackle this daunting task. See, we have not one or two beds that need this process but over 8 raised beds, ranging from 8′ x 10′ to 8′ x 40′. Not much I can do about the peach tree but hopefully reducing the pests in the nearby beds will also reduce those that affect the peach crop!
The process sounds fairly simple, though it does involve some preparation. Here is the full process outlined by AgriLife Extension.

To solarize your garden or flower bed, first prepare the soil. Eliminate all weeds and old garden plants. Next, rototill the soil as deeply as possible to produce a uniform soil texture. If your soil is too dry to easily work, irrigate, wait a few days and then rototill.

For solarization to work, the soil needs to be moist and damp to allow sun’s heat to penetrate the ground as deeply as possible. So, give the garden a good soaking before covering it with plastic. An ideal garden setup incorporates drip irrigation under the plastic to maintain soil moisture during solarization and later for watering your garden crops. The plastic used to cover the area should be clear, not black. Clear plastic lets light energy pass through and then traps it, much like a greenhouse. Black plastic absorbs most of the sun’s heat without letting it pass through to the soil below. 1-to-6 mil plastic will work fine – the thicker the better. Pull the plastic tight and cover the edges with soil to help keep the soil moist and to prevent strong gusts of wind from blowing it away.

Leave the plastic in place for at least a month and the longer you leave it on the better the results. Two to three months would be ideal, but good short term weed control can be gained in a month. The soil in the top several inches should heat almost to 150 degrees F. which is hot enough to pasteurize the soil and kill many of the harmful organisms. Apparently beneficial soil organisms bounce back quickly and are not greatly harmed by the treatment.

So I have my work cut out for me! We will likely tackle just a few beds in the next few weeks and leave them covered until well into the fall. My biggest issue will be securing the plastic in place as most of our raised beds are constructed of uneven rock borders. So laying 2x4s or rocks on top of the plastic won’t be enough to hold the plastic in place without gaps.

Stay tuned…

Last month I submitted an article on the horribly invasive plant called Bastard Cabbage. I would like to make one more stab at bringing this horribly noxious weed to the forefront and implore folks everywhere to make a concerted effort to eradicate it!

A recent article published by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center reiterates the success in using more native wildflowers to control the Bastard Cabbage. Specifically, success is seen by heavily sowing Indian Blanket or Gaillardia pulchella.

For those who missed the article, Bastard Cabbage is a spring, yellow blooming exotic invasive plant that crowds out our beloved wildflowers. The rosettes form in the fall, covering the ground with its broad leaves and shading out other wildflowers from germinating. It loves disturbed areas, new roadsides and construction sites particularly. But it is creeping into natural areas and pastures, creating monocultures of this rather useless plant.

Pulling existing plants is the best measure of control, but if too large a population, regular mowing to prevent the plant from setting seeds can help. Then simply heavily sow Gaillardia seeds to prevent the annual Bastard Cabbage from re-establishing next year.

Source – LBJ Wildflower Center

 

Master Gardeners Donna Hagar and Shirley Smith met with Trey Sexton and Debi Bly on Wednesday, Feb 18 to begin formulating plans for the installation of a Community Garden located on the new Papa’s Pantry Food Bank Property.

Trey Sexton, a senior at Glen Rose High School has spearheaded this endeavor, already obtaining 501(c)(3) status as a non-profit organization. Trey then approached the Master Gardeners to gain assistance and advice for the planning and installation of the actual gardens.

Initial plans are for two 4 foot by 40 foot long rectangular raised bed gardens, which will be partitioned into 8 to 10 foot sections. Trey envisions various local organizations to adopt these sections of the garden to plant and grow fruits and vegetables with intentions to donate all or part of the produce to the food bank. Max Bly, current director of the Food Bank and Debi Bly, Secretary, are thrilled with the prospect of having fresh produce to offer their clients.

The Master Gardeners will adopt at least one section of the gardens and will be available to offer assistance and advice to other groups who would like to participate.

Future plans include several key hole gardens, trellis gardens and an extensive rainwater harvesting system.