Can I use a tarp to kill the weeds in my garden before planting season
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Black tarp is really only effective as a weed control in very hot weather. You can however, use cover crops as an alliterative to both act as a weed control and enrich your garden soil. Not sure where you're located, but I would suggest you contact your local extension office for suggestions on which cover crops do best in your area. The service is free and there are normally experienced Master Gardeners available to help.
Clear plastic will kill faster than any black plastic or tarp (found in the paint section).
A lot of the suns rays bounce off black plastic and tarp, but the heat that is captured under clear plastic literally cooks plants, weed seeds, nematodes, insects, and soil pathogens (the “bad guy” fungi, bacteria, etc. that bring diseases to plants) in the uppermost layers of soil.It also makes nutrients more available to plants later grown in solarized soil.