Re: CULT: Solarization

From: HIPSource@aol.com

Greetings,

This info is for anyone following this thread on solarization. I mentioned 
earlier that I had a good little book on soils here and I'd take a look and 
see if it mentioned anything potentially useful that we have not heard 
before. I've been worried about the possible detrimental effects of the 
process on soil ecology. I had not thought much about this before since I'd 
heard solarization would not work around here.

Now the book in question dates from 1990 and thus the information therein is 
quite possibly dated since I think a great deal of knowledge about 
solarization has been accumulated in recent years. It is SOILS, a paperback 
published by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. It is one of those fine little 
paperback BBG 'Handbooks', a series which I think is excellent. I got a copy 
when I found out the local hort school uses it as a text their soils class.

So there is this bit in the chapter about soil organisms, which I thought was 
interesting. 

" Heat is an effective method for controlling undesirable soil organisms [ 
..] In some climates, solar heat can be used to 'steam' soil if the soil is 
kept moist and covered with transparent plastic during the hottest period of 
the year. If the soil can be kept around 120 degrees Fahrenheit for two 
weeks, pathogens that cause wilts and root rots may be controlled. It is 
important to note that steaming not only destroys soil organisms (good and 
bad) but also alters some physical and chemical properties of the soil.[Here 
it talks about textural changes] In highly organic soils, steaming can cause 
ammonium nitrate to accumulate in quantities large enough to burn roots and 
foliage of sensitive plants. Other minerals may also increase [to?] toxic 
levels if soils are over-heated. Avoid repetitive heat treatments, excessive 
high temperatures and longer-than-necessary periods of heat."

And then it goes on to talk about chemical sterilization of the soil which 
sounds nightmarish and like nothing to do with gardening.

Anner Whitehead
HIPSource@aol.com

  

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