Weed management is a persistent challenge for vegetable growers, with traditional methods such as cultivation, plastic mulch, herbicides, and hand-weeding presenting various limitations. Tarping has emerged as an effective, low-cost alternative that utilizes impermeable plastic sheets to suppress weeds through occultation (blocking light) or solarization (heat buildup), depending on the type of tarp. In addition to weed control, tarping aids in cover crop termination, stale seedbed preparation, moisture retention, and transitioning fallow land to production, offering a versatile and sustainable solution, especially in reduced-tillage systems.
What is tarping?
Tarping involves spreading a large, impermeable plastic sheet, most commonly a silage tarp, over the intended plot before planting the cash crop. The tarp is left in place for several weeks, depending on the air temperature and the purpose behind its use. Most commonly, tarps are used to create a weed-free planting area with ideal soil moisture conditions. Many growers prefer to prepare the planting area by applying amendments and tilling for the next crop before applying the tarp. The tarp acts as a “placeholder” to hold beds weed-free between plantings; when removed, the area is ready for planting. Tarping kills weeds via two processes: occultation and solarization.
With support from an NCR-SARE Research and Education grant, researchers at South Dakota State University worked with local producers to evaluate the efficacy and practicality of using silage tarps to control early-season weeds in the Upper Midwest and Great Plains. They produced a guide that outlines methods of tarping use and provides information on tarp implementation and installation.
Related Resources
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Available in Print
Characteristics of Weeds That Affect Their Management
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Available in Print
Manage Weeds On Your Farm
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Videos
Manage Weeds on Your Farm Video Series
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Available in Print
When Herbicide-Resistant Weeds are a Problem
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Book/Handbook
Weed Management Strategies
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Available in Print
The Role of Crop Rotation in Weed Management
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Available in Print
Changing Patterns for Weeds, Insects and Diseases
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Available in Print
Making the Transition to Organic Cropping Systems
Want more information? See the related SARE grant:
This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.