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| So my wacky neighbor is up to his ol' tricks again. Last year he thought he'd try to smother the weeds and bermuda grass that borders my lawn by dumping head-sized stones all over the area. Imagine his surprise when the weeds grew up around each of the stones, then migrated over to my lawn.
This year he's put down what appears to be translucent white landscaping fabric over the top of the mess and weighted it down with stones. I think he's attempting to solarize the soil in an attempt to rid the area of weeds. But unless I'm mistaken, don't you have to use a black fabric or plastic to block all sunlight AND wait until the temperatures are at least in the 90s before attempting this? We're in the dead of winter out here, and while temps have been warmer than usual, they're still topping off in the mid-60s. Is there any chance his approach will work or should I try and steer him in a more effective direction? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by texas-weed 7A (My Page) on Thu, Feb 9, 12 at 21:38
| No actually you use clear plastic. This allows the Sun's rays to pass straight through and strike the soil and heat it up. All the plastic is there for is to trap the heat and moisture. You are correct you want to wait until the hottest months for it to work |
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- Posted by dchall_san_antonio 8 San Antonio (My Page) on Thu, Feb 9, 12 at 22:13
| The black plastic idea provides shade to the plants and tries to kill them by blocking the sun. The problem is while the plastic looks black, enough of the colors of the sun pass through the plastic to allow the plants underneath to grow. If you left the plastic on until it rotted and replaced it for a couple years, it might work. |
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| Thanks for the replies. Ok, so I should advise my neighbor that the best time to try this would be in the heat of the summer. As for the material he's got laid over the top, it's a whitish translucent fabric, not clear but not completely opaque. Should I advise him to get rid of it and start again this summer with clear plastic? |
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| Need to make sure the edges of the plastic are sealed to the ground as good as possible, too. Don't want air to escape or a breeze to cool things off under the plastic. |
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- Posted by texas-weed 7A (My Page) on Fri, Feb 10, 12 at 22:49
| Ok, so I should advise my neighbor that the best time to try this would be in the heat of the summer. As for the material he's got laid over the top, it's a whitish translucent fabric, not clear but not completely opaque. Should I advise him to get rid of it and start again this summer with clear plastic? Only you can answer those questions as it depends on your relationship with your neighbor. If he/she is indifferent or does not respect you, they would only be offended and ignore your advice. |
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