Posted: 7/29/2010 4:59:16 AM EDT
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To try and control some of the wonderful disease issues I'm having this year, I've got 2000 sq ft of plastic out on the garden. We used to do it back in the day in florida with fumigants to control nematodes, I don't even think home gardeners can get those kinds of chemicals anymore. Any one have any experiences?
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I lived next to and worked at a floral greenhouse when i was back in highschool. They would steam their beds using an old steam boiler and heavy tarps. Killed bugs and weeds. Solarization would be about the same except relying on the sun for the heat/steam source. I plan to do it to my raised bed in late july/august. Here in texas the sun should provide a decent amount of heat. Im surprised that the site you linked recommends clear plastic. I thought black would build up more heat
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Quoted:
I lived next to and worked at a floral greenhouse when i was back in highschool. They would steam their beds using an old steam boiler and heavy tarps. Killed bugs and weeds. Solarization would be about the same except relying on the sun for the heat/steam source. I plan to do it to my raised bed in late july/august. Here in texas the sun should provide a decent amount of heat. Im surprised that the site you linked recommends clear plastic. I thought black would build up more heat
C Yea, back in the day we used black also  . I think they are trying to maximize the greenhouse effect by letting in more solar energy as opposed to the black plastic absorbing the heat itself ....It would be easy enough for me to take a black contractor trash bag out and run a little experiment. I think I may try one of the thinner, clearer plastics as well..
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