Solarizing Your Soil
Florida-Friendly Landscaping & trade; in a Minute
Episode Archive
Episode #75 | Original Air Date: June 12, 2020
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Transcript
Most Florida soils contain nematodes and other disease-causing organisms that may seriously harm your vegetable and landscape plants.
One way to prepare your garden soil for fall planting is to solarize it over the summer. Start by removing all the plants from the area, then break up the soil, add any desired amendments, and irrigate. Finally, cover with sturdy, clear plastic film, securing the edges to hold in the heat.
Leave the plastic on the ground for about six to eight weeks under the hot summer sun. The heat under the plastic can reach temperatures as high as 130 degrees, baking away your soil pests along with those pesky weed seeds.
Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ in a Minute is a production of the University of Florida’s Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program, IFAS Extension, and WUFT-FM in cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
