PH's 2018 Garlic Effort

[PureHarvest]

Bower, tarping works even with out heat or high temps. The sun will still heat up the tarp because it is black. Only during the winter would it take 4-6 weeks.
Lisa, I would think you would be better late than early. But you know your climate.
I push as late as I can because I don’t want top growth. Anymore, that means planting in November for me.

[PureHarvest]

Here is a week after covering.
It has been cloudy almost the whole week except about 2 days of partial sun.
Temps have been mid 70's to low 80's during the day. So, full sun and heat is not absolutely needed. It does speed it along though. That, and having moisture underneath helps too.

Tarp 9-18-18.JPG

Tarp2 9-18-18.JPG

[bower]

Wow that is working fast. We're getting tons of rain today, but maybe I can get to lay it tomorrow. I have the tarp on hand so I should just give it a go. I have been completely overwhelmed with other business needing my attention lately.. I just need to schedule some garden time that's a fact.



The area I wanted to prep is my former vegetable garden which has gone over to perennial weeds (mostly oregano). It has also gotten a bit mossy in places, showing signs of just how acid it has become without any attention (have to keep hacking back conifers too). I don't have a tiller so I will keep it small and dig it with a fork, but I do want to open up this ground for garlic rotation, as it is a good sunny spot. Hoping the tarp will help. I guess I should mow it down and maybe apply some lime and fish fert before I tarp it, try to speed up the action.


There is also a big anthill in that area which discouraged me from tarping when dry and in their season - there's nothing they like better than a dry sheltered patch of ground.



Still have to pull veggies and weed the beds that are already set up for garlic. I have some brassicas that have been quite damaged by the butterfly, and was thinking to chop up what is left of the leaves and dig that into the ground. Maybe tarping would help that to rot away before planting time as well.

[svalli]

Originally Posted by PureHarvest

Temps have been mid 70's to low 80's during the day. So, full sun and heat is not absolutely needed. It does speed it along though. That, and having moisture underneath helps too.

Hot weather is quite relative, mid 70's to low 80's is considered hot summer here. Last summer was a freak one with some days at lower 90's.

I have kept the tarp on ground whole summer. When all spring planting was done I moved the 8x25m tarp next to my vegetable plot on area, which was growing perennial quack grass. I hope the summer heat has killed all the grass roots and the annual weed seeds too. By alternating the location of the tarp every other year, I am hoping to eventually get a weed free garden. I am also hoping that moving the tarp next spring on the area where garlic and onions was grown this summer, will prevent the onion flies from emerging from the soil.

I think that this tarp has now become my best gardening tool for growing vegetables. It is like the slow cooker; to get good results with little effort, you just need to have time for it to do its magic.

Sari