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nafex - [NAFEX] Re: soil solarizing...actually cardboard

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  • From: tblists <tblists@pshift.com>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [NAFEX] Re: soil solarizing...actually cardboard
  • Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2004 19:57:39 -0500

I prepped the soil for my orchard last year: two covers of buckwheat, established red fescue sod. I'm considering mulching the tree rows after planting. My thought was to plant the trees (dwarf/semi apple), lay my irrigation line, then lay cardboard, say 2' wide, for the length of the row. Then I can woodchip mulch as I get to it. I know of the vole issue with woodchips and I've had good luck minimizing damage with good mouseguard management. My question is how the cardboard will affect the voles, i.e. will it give them a perfect environment all summer long to tunnel and wreak havoc? I've considered making t-shaped pvc baitstations running under the cardboard with a capped tube sticking up that I can add Zn phosphide in the fall. Any advice?

Terry B



From: "Scott Williamson" <swilliamson@acespower.com>
Subject: RE: [NAFEX] Solarizing Soil
I tried it once. It worked OK, but didn't kill off weeds with deep roots. I'm currently using cardboard boxes (plain cardboard with no coloring or glossing) with a few rocks on the corners to hold them down. They are a good mulch and will rot down in a year or two and can also be mulched over the top of when you're ready. You can just dig a hole through the boxes to put your plant in. It does take a year or more to really kill most of the weeds under them though and some persistent ones find ways through the cracks as well. And it doesn't exactly look pretty if that matters to you.

Scott,
Indiana Zone 5b

Terence Bradshaw
1189 Wheeler Road
Calais, VT 05648
bradshaw@pshift.com
(802)229-2004

The views represented by me are mine and mine only................






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