solarizing for weed control - Ask Extension
I bought a home with a nice big garden space but the previous owner did not take care of it at all so it's overrun with weeds. The past two summers I'...
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solarizing for weed control #930191
Asked April 30, 2026, 3:19 PM EDT
I bought a home with a nice big garden space but the previous owner did not take care of it at all so it's overrun with weeds. The past two summers I've done my best but the weeds are so pervasive that I can't keep up. I've decided to forego planting this year so I can try solarizing. Do you have any tips or strategies for success? Are there any common mistakes to avoid?
Iowa County Iowa
Expert Response
Here is an excellent article from the University of Minnesota explaining the process of solarization using clear plastic and a similar but different process called occultation that uses black plastic. It includes some pros and cons for each technique, as well as tips for success.
https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/solarization-occultation
And this article from Iowa State University offers some other techniques for killing large areas of grass to create a new garden bed.
https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/how-kill-grass-create-new-garden-bed
