An underutilized bed in front of the Camden post office downtown will be solarized in preparation for the installation of Camden’s first native plant garden. Photo courtesy of Camden Garden Club.
The Camden Garden Club received a $1000 Plant America grant from National Garden Clubs, Inc. to turn the underutilized grass bed in front of the Camden post office downtown into a native plant pollinator demonstration garden. This garden will be Camden’s first public designated native plant garden and the Club’s first native plant project.
To prepare the site for the native garden - also known as the Postage Stamp Garden - the process of soil solarization will be used this summer. Solarization if a non-chemical process for controlling weeds and soil borne pathogens using high temperatures produced by capturing radiant energy from the sun.
The process involves placing a plastic tarp over a garden bed or lawn to heat up the soil underneath. The tarp provides a greenhouse effect trapping heat and moisture which allows seed germination and plant growth initially. But by blocking access to water and heating up the soil to high temperatures, this process eventually kills the plant growth underneath the tarp. Solarization leaves no chemical residue and is a simple method which can be used by home gardeners.
Sometime in June, the turf on the site will be mowed to a very low level, after which the site will be watered until the soil is moist down to 10 inches; the plastic film will then be placed and secured to prevent any gaps in the seal and prevent the tarp from blowing away.
During the time of solarization of the site, the Club will post signage explaining the process. Planting of the garden will take place during the month of September.
Those who wish to participate in this effort are encouraged to join the Club. Club members should contact the Chair of the Village Green Committee, which is overseeing this project.