Re: CULT: Black plastic vs. Clear
- To:
- Subject: Re: [iris-talk] CULT: Black plastic vs. Clear
- From: L*
- Date: Fri, 7 Jul 2000 08:41:44 -0700
>By the way, black plastic will not sterilize soil.
Ok... now I am curious. I've heard that everyone uses Clear, but when
I think about it, why wouldn't black do some good? I simply don't know the
exact scientific comparison, which is why I want to ask. I've had areas
where I've dumped some black plastic out, and when I've picked it up months
later, nothing was growing underneath it. Obviously, no sunlight, nothing
grows. And I know that it would get very hot underneath the black plastic,
which should kill some things. By letting the sun rays through the clear
plastic... does that do something else? Does it just allow the sun's heat
to get down further deep in the ground? Otherwise, it would seem that
black would be hotter than clear...
Kitty Loberg, northern Calif.
> To solarize soil ( a
>mild form of soil treatment that kills most pathogens and weed seeds in the
>upper few inches) you must use CLEAR plastic and the area must get full sun
>for most of the day. The plastic should remain down for at least four
>weeks. Black plastic, especially in the shade, encourages fungi and
>bacteria.
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