Daffodil Gardening 101
Solar sterilization is an effective method to eliminate pests from your daffodil garden, if you have to reuse the same soil for replanting your bulbs. It is most effective, and the best results are obtained in full sun.
Solar sterilization does not work on hard packed "hardpan" soil. The soil to be sterilized must be loosened down to the dept that sterilization is to be achieved. Use a rotor-tiller or other instrument to loosen the soil. Rake the top of the soil level for even application of the cover. Water the soil to 12 inches deep. (Another method advocated does not call for watering. After the process, the soil samples from my garden that were tested in their lab were sterile.)
Cover the soil with "clear plastic," using no more than 4 mil thickness. Do not use dark or black plastic as it blocks the sunlight. The thicker the plastic, the less it will work. Too thin, and the plastic will not stand up to the weather. A simple method of holding the plastic in place is to dig a trench around the ground, put the edges of the plastic into the trench, and cover the edges with soil. I use mulch to hold down the edges. Both methods will work.
The solar sterilization process needs about 60-65 days to work. Therefore, in the Mid Atlantic States, it needs to have the plastic cover applied by July 1 to take advantage of summer's hottest months. The cover should come off in early September.
Maintenance of Solar sterilization:
If weeds grow under the plastic, pull out the weeds and continue.
If holes develop in the plastic, patch them and continue.
It is not unusual for some "hot" type plants to grow under the plastic.
It is not unusual for holes to develop in the plastic.
The sun will damage plastic when directly exposed for a period of time. It is said that one can reuse the plastic after using for solar sterilization, however, I find the plastic to be brittle and is easily broken and tears after 60/65 days exposure to the direct sunlight. Sometimes, it just rips and falls apart when you try to take it up at the end of the sterilizaiton period. I recommend, therefore, to dispose of it in the household trash.
Moisture droplets will form on the underside of the plastic during the solar sterilization process, that is normal.
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