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Soil Solarization

Square Foot Gardening List - http://myweb.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

Here is a simple, step-by-step how-to on soil solarization:
http://www.gardenguides.com/TipsandTechniques/solarization.htm

When I lived in hot, humid, disease-laden Texas, I routinely solarized my
square foot beds in late July into early August.  It was too hot for
anything but okra and sweet potatoes to grow, and I have no interest in
either crop.  I believe the annual solarization helped to retard soil-borne
diseases immensely, because I had healthier soil and much less disease
problems than other gardeners in the area who did not solarize.

The Fluffster says that adding a shovel of compost, etc. will help
retain............  According to researchers at the University of Florida
who have experimented with solarization extensively, worms burrow deeper
into cooler soil during solarization.  They return almost immediately when
the top layers of soil cool.  Many beneficial microbes such as mycorrhizal
fungi and rhizobium go into the spore stage when the soil heats up--just as
they do when the soil freezes.  Compost in any garden soil is ideal, and do
add it.  But, add it before you solarize--make it part of your soil
composition.

If you live in an area where nematodes are a problem, solarization is for
you.  That's why the Univ. of Florida experimented.  Nematodes are a huge
problem in the sandy soils of Florida where commercial growers produce
strawberries, salad crops, tomatoes and much more during Winter months.
Previously, they were fumigated soil with methyl bromide, which isn't good
for the soil (it kills everything including beneficials) and it leaves a
residue that may or may not be a carcinogen.
Doreen Howard


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