Gardening: Solarize cs Occultation - Ask Extension
I would like to know what would be more effective against the common sod grasses and weeds in Frederick county: Solarization or Occukation? i’m tryi...
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Gardening: Solarize cs Occultation #893725
Asked March 06, 2025, 8:29 AM EST
I would like to know what would be more effective against the common sod grasses and weeds in Frederick county: Solarization or Occukation? i’m trying to prepare a site for future native meadow sowing
Frederick County Maryland
Expert Response
Here is our page on Meadow making (which we hope to update this year):
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/how-make-meadow/extension.umd.edu/agnr.umd.edu/resource/how-make-meadow
In it, you'll note the suggestion to strip lawn/weeds and soil to get started as it removes some of the seed bank of weeds that want to get started, and the most running rhizomes/roots of some warm season grasses that can come back from small pieces that are left alive. (Native meadow plants don't require rich soil.) A turf/sod-cutter can make the job a lot easier and you can find them to rent.
As far as your choice between solarization or occultation, we'd go with occultation.
First, mow everything as low as possible and cover with reusable tarp, woven fabric weed barrier or cardboard covered with compost.
(Do not cover landscape fabric with wood chips or mulch because weed seeds will germinate and roots will grow down through the fabric knitting it to the soil.)
Many years ago when I installed a wildlife habitat/meadow area the practice was to kill off the area with a systemic pesticide like glyphosate, wait a few weeks and do it again to the regrowth.
It will likely at some point, require more than one approach.
One of our horticulture consultants recently took training on meadows with the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional program.
Her thoughts:
Meadow planning varies on a case-by-case basis. It depends on the weeds. If it's something nasty like Bermuda grass/wiregrass (https://extension.umd.edu/resource/bermudagrass-or-wiregrass/), johnson grass, thistle, or other invasive species (https://extension.umd.edu/resource/introduction-invasive-plants-maryland/) they probably need to resort to chemicals, however, location matters, for instance, is there potential likelyhood of runoff into a water way?
Smothering is helpful depending on the size and as our page says, starting small and doing it in increments/sections is helpful from a time and maintenance standpoint.
Not disturbing the weed seed bank is important.
She said this is typically a 3-year project to get going and get to a point where it is meeting expectations. Depending on budget, consider planting a nurse/smother annual crop like partridge pea or non-invasive annual flowers to give it that first-year effect and help your plants compete with weed seeds as your native perennial seeds (less expensive/take longer/higher chance of failure or plugs (more $ but establish faster and easier) take hold.
She believes you will still need to go in and edit and weed regularly... including keeping the most aggressive species in check so you have the most diversity. Over time controlling for woody or invasive plants will be needed- like multi-flora rose, wineberries, etc., as meadows, left alone over time will grow into woodlands, which is termed "natural succession".
Christine
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/how-make-meadow/extension.umd.edu/agnr.umd.edu/resource/how-make-meadow
In it, you'll note the suggestion to strip lawn/weeds and soil to get started as it removes some of the seed bank of weeds that want to get started, and the most running rhizomes/roots of some warm season grasses that can come back from small pieces that are left alive. (Native meadow plants don't require rich soil.) A turf/sod-cutter can make the job a lot easier and you can find them to rent.
As far as your choice between solarization or occultation, we'd go with occultation.
First, mow everything as low as possible and cover with reusable tarp, woven fabric weed barrier or cardboard covered with compost.
(Do not cover landscape fabric with wood chips or mulch because weed seeds will germinate and roots will grow down through the fabric knitting it to the soil.)
Many years ago when I installed a wildlife habitat/meadow area the practice was to kill off the area with a systemic pesticide like glyphosate, wait a few weeks and do it again to the regrowth.
It will likely at some point, require more than one approach.
One of our horticulture consultants recently took training on meadows with the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional program.
Her thoughts:
Meadow planning varies on a case-by-case basis. It depends on the weeds. If it's something nasty like Bermuda grass/wiregrass (https://extension.umd.edu/resource/bermudagrass-or-wiregrass/), johnson grass, thistle, or other invasive species (https://extension.umd.edu/resource/introduction-invasive-plants-maryland/) they probably need to resort to chemicals, however, location matters, for instance, is there potential likelyhood of runoff into a water way?
Smothering is helpful depending on the size and as our page says, starting small and doing it in increments/sections is helpful from a time and maintenance standpoint.
Not disturbing the weed seed bank is important.
She said this is typically a 3-year project to get going and get to a point where it is meeting expectations. Depending on budget, consider planting a nurse/smother annual crop like partridge pea or non-invasive annual flowers to give it that first-year effect and help your plants compete with weed seeds as your native perennial seeds (less expensive/take longer/higher chance of failure or plugs (more $ but establish faster and easier) take hold.
She believes you will still need to go in and edit and weed regularly... including keeping the most aggressive species in check so you have the most diversity. Over time controlling for woody or invasive plants will be needed- like multi-flora rose, wineberries, etc., as meadows, left alone over time will grow into woodlands, which is termed "natural succession".
Christine
