Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
ALMOST BEEKEEPING - RELATED TOPICS => GARDENING AROUND THE HOUSE => Topic started by: jalentour on September 06, 2018, 12:05:55 am
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Due to health problems and business issues the raised bed were duefully planted and left to the wild.
Not much good happened.
Now I have weeds, horse grass, stuff I've never seen in the beds.
I'd like to kill all this out naturally as possible. I was thinking of putting clear plastic (like a drop cloth) and let the solar kill out the plant and seeds.
Has anyone had any luck with this idea. I know you can clear yards with this technique but not a raised bed. Need to kill seeds too I suppose.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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Dr Jamie Ellis from the University of Florida once gave a speach about doing exactly what you are talking about. I think he left it on for a month or more to kill everything including the nematodes. I think there is a complete Wright up on his website.
Jim
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Here is his website.
https://ifas.ufl.edu/
Try using a computer to do the search. I did not find it using my iPhone.
Jim
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I can't imagine you will be able to sterilize all the seeds. If the weeds and grasses still have the seeds on the plant the best way to kill them is with a torch.
Next year just let them germinate and get two inches high and till or pull them. Do it twice then plant your vegetables. This will let your vegetables get a foot hold before the wind blows more weed seeds into your garden. This is a raised bed so you should be planting close shading out the weeds.
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I would use thick black plastic. That would heat up the soil more than the clear and would kill more of the seeds. There is a weed killer recipe floating around the web using vinegar and dawn dishwashing soap. I haven't tried it so I don't know how well it works.