Just discovered the garden gravel walkway covered in weeds & possibly overgrown coriander.
Will covering it in black plastic tarp work this time of year (May) autumn or in winter ?
Hi @vng,
Solarisation and occultation can both help control weeds, but they are much less effective in autumn and winter. Solarisation relies on strong sunlight and heat to “cook” weeds and seeds under clear plastic, and during cooler months in many places, the soil simply doesn’t get hot enough for this to work well. Occultation, using a black tarp, is more reliable at this time of year because it blocks light and gradually starves weeds, but it works slowly since plant growth is already reduced in cooler weather. If you cover the gravel path now, it should kill many existing weeds over time, but you’ll likely need to leave it in place for at least two to three months, and it may not eliminate all seeds or tougher perennial weeds. For best results, keep the tarp well secured with no light gaps, and consider combining this with solarisation in late spring or summer when conditions are warmer. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
