How to Solarize Your Garden for Weed Prevention

MMM 74 - For as long as long as I can remember working in the garden in any form, the inevitable process of weeding has always been present. I had come to accept it as an unavoidable fact of gardening since I don't want to use chemicals to rid myself of them, until I talked to Sonja Birthisel one day last fall. Sonja is a PhD student who has done research in weed ecology and management, and conveniently she is also a friend of mine from college. She suggested that I solarize my soil this spring, and now I am doing just that. After thoroughly irrigating my garden and the additional grassy space that I'm annexing for the garden this year, I laid down multiple rows of thick plastic to "bake" the soil for about six weeks. Wish me luck! Thanks for your wisdom and advice, Sonja! Learn more about Sonja: https://umaine.edu/ees-graduate/meet-our-students/sonja-birthisel/ https://umaine.edu/ees-graduate/2015/09/24/sonja-birthisel-selected-for-prestigious-correll-fellowship/ https://umaine.edu/news/blog/2015/11/30/sonja-birthisel-helping-farmers-prepare-for-changing-climate/ Tools I like to use in my garden: Spade Shovel: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000B6Q6BA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000B6Q6BA&linkCode=as2&tag=midwes01-20&linkId=d9101c7e0108cd244faa36baa9dc786b Edging Shovel: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BX4SLS?ie=UTF8&tag=midwes01-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B000BX4SLS Wheelbarrow: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007X7O8JM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007X7O8JM&linkCode=as2&tag=midwes01-20&linkId=da908f09a40825965a391486dae88c56 Soil Rake: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SMD1AOM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00SMD1AOM&linkCode=as2&tag=midwes01-20&linkId=087d2f2bc19c4138a24be97b203bdf04 Kangaroo Bag: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004SD7D/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00004SD7D&linkCode=as2&tag=midwes01-20&linkId=2c79c7942886e0a0d1efa9008e61b725 Leaf Rake: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PZ92YJQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00PZ92YJQ&linkCode=as2&tag=midwes01-20&linkId=842c586fccd305605ad46844afab7fe6 Hoe: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EQ054EC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00EQ054EC&linkCode=as2&tag=midwes01-20&linkId=b2cb399ee1abff072701781eb4f3837e Trowel: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004S0PGPM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B004S0PGPM&linkCode=as2&tag=midwes01-20&linkId=3128a40e4914256c2ca1605240a6b397 Shears: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002N66H/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00002N66H&linkCode=as2&tag=midwes01-20&linkId=7b9f9f964ea420e93a065e8014f6ba74 Fence Armor: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008KJPT68/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B008KJPT68&linkCode=as2&tag=midwes01-20&linkId=e60300cba43e7ffb94da3f69e8a0553c _______ Want to support what I do? Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/MidwestManMountain Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/c/MidwestManMountain Amazon Affiliate: https://www.amazon.com/b?_encoding=UTF8&tag=midwes01-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=39edf1ef6315cb4b43405715c7dd03e5&camp=1789&creative=9325&node=527694 _______ Contact me: MidwestManMountain@gmail.com Social Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MidwestManMountain Twitter: https://twitter.com/MWManMountain Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midwestmanmountain/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MWManMountain/ Don't Stop by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/