Solarizing soil article

[ducks4you]

I've been studying up on this and this week is the week to solarize my tomato beds. I was just about to cut black, plastic, construction grade bags to solarize the soil and I came across this:
https://www.clemson.edu/extension/county/laurens/mg/askmg/036_solarizing_garden_beds.pdf
Which suggests using clear plastic to do so. I HAVE a big roll of clear plastic, too, so I don't have to BUY anything.
Have any of you successfully solarized your beds? How did you do it? Curious.

 

[Smart Red]

Clear is the way to go.

 

[thistlebloom]

I think it depends entirely on how hot your summers get Ducks.
I haven't solarized, but those gardeners I know who have done this in north Idaho have said that the clear is like a ground level greenhouse and the weeds grow luxuriantly underneath it.
Our summers are too brief and don't reach a prolonged period of high enough heat long enough to kill the weed growth.

The clear is usually recommended because of those weed seeds that need light to germinate, that do and are then cooked.
Pardon me if I'm repeating your article, I didn't open it.

Anybody in a cooler climate like mine can be successful killing weeds with black plastic left on for the entire season.

 

[ducks4you]

Thanks. I don't have the entire season. I'm doing this for my tomato beds, and the tomatos go in last week of this month. They are now on the ledge on the front (east facing) porch to get some size.
I posted and linked bc I had seen a gardening program that recommended black plastic. They weren't the authority that wrote this article. I have a long roll of plastic that my father had originally bought to create a backyard skating rink. He was in the plastics industry and had easy access. It's thick and hard to rip--you have to cut it.
DH suggested that I try both. I have construction grade black plastic garbage bags--30 gallon--to try, too. I guess I'll take DH's advice and experiment. I'll have to take some pictures and let you know.
Doing SOMETHING like this must help, at least a little bit. I'm killing weed seeds and tree seeds close to the surface. Don't know if you have had any experience with Tree of Paradise, but they aren't dead if you don't get the full tap root. All the beds are free of these, but I had to remove several of them a few years back.

 

[ducks4you]

I LIKE your idea of solarizing for a whole season, though. I DO have places on the property that you could a whole season of weed killing like this. Thanks for suggesting it!!