Solarization Underway for Overwintering Cover Crops at Dixon Springs

By Andi Anderson

Dixon Springs Ag Center has begun solarizing overwintering cover crops to prepare its high tunnel beds for the upcoming spring planting season. After the positive results seen last year, the team is once again using clear plastic mulch to help terminate the existing cover crops ahead of the April 1 planting target for tomatoes and peppers.

To begin the process, workers secure clear plastic mulch to the wooden side boards of the raised beds. Each sheet of plastic covers two beds at a time. The ends are sealed with sand to trap heat and create the warm environment needed for effective solarization. This method is also expected to reduce small weeds that sometimes appear in the aisles.

This season’s cover crops include spring oats and Austrian winter peas. Interestingly, the spring oats did not winter kill despite the extremely cold temperatures experienced in January. This provides an opportunity to observe how well solarization works on hardy, overwintered growth.

On March 2, the center hosted a no‑till cover crop program in partnership with the Illinois Stewardship Alliance as part of Soil Health Week. Half of the high tunnel beds were covered with clear plastic for demonstration, while the remaining beds were left uncovered.

This setup allowed visitors to compare crop growth under both conditions. The event encouraged meaningful discussions and valuable networking among participants, highlighting the growing interest in soil health practices.

Inside the greenhouse, preparations for spring planting continue. Pepper seedlings were germinated and potted up during the last week of February. Tomato seedlings are currently on heat mats and have begun germinating during the second week of March. According to the staff, pepper seedlings generally require more time to establish compared to tomato seedlings, making early preparation essential.

With solarization underway and seedlings progressing well, Dixon Springs Ag Center is on track for a strong start to the spring growing season.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-mvburling