RE: [CH] Nearly-averted disaster (and a couple of questions)
Riley J. McIntire (Riley@ChileGarden.com)
Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:37:48 -0700
Jim Graham [spooky130@cox.net] spake thusly on Sunday, April 13, 2008 4:33
PM:
> My pepper garden is limited in size by A) the amount of "yard" I've
> got, and B) the amount of tarp I've got covering the ground (and
> the weeds, ants, etc., that would love to take over). Last year I
<snip some treatment symptoms I hope I don't have to go through but wish you
the best getting through them.>
> I found 8'x10' canvas tarp. Bought two of those, and some white wire
> fencing, and this is going to be the area for my pepper garden:
> 8'x20'. I could probably add another 4' to the 20' if I could afford
> it, but I've spent all of my birthday money and then some, so.....
This may or may not be useful to you. And you'd have to buy some plastic
which will probably only get more and more expensive. But reusable.
Last year I took some black plastic and laid it over part of our yard to
kill weeds. Left it on a year. It worked. But lately, having had the
opportunity to basically clear the whole backyard out (4500 sqft where it's
flat), I've been reading, and talking with experts, about how to get rid of
weeds. The method I'm trying now consists of 1) Thoroughly watering the
area, and; 2) covering it with _clear_ heavy (6 mil) plastic, sealing the
edges. The idea is the water and clear plastic will form a greenhouse,
sprouting the weed seeds. After a while, the heat buildup will kill them.
Afterwards don't till so new seeds aren't brought to the surface to
germinate.
I started a plot as above a couple weeks ago, while it was cold, for me,
anyway, 60? F, give or take. Good germination. This weekend it was 95?.
Didn't have time to check it out this weekend, but took a quick look just
now--still some green in there, with condensation on the plastic. We'll see.
Might be too early in the season for it.
This method was tested against others, such as black plastic, at the
Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers and Native Plants.
http://www.theodorepayne.org/ A modification without (I think) the watering
step was in the book Native Plants of California.
Hot regards,
Riley
--
"To be interested in the changing seasons is a
happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in
love with spring." -George Santayana