You don't use black plastic to solarize. You use clear plastic, 6 mill to 8 mill thickness. Black plastic does not raise temperatures nearly as much as clear does. While I'm sure it's annoying, it shouldn't be too difficult to pull the grass which should come right up, then place it on top of the existing straw. All straw i not created equal. It also needs to be applied properly by fluffing and then lightly sprinkling, it should never be packed down when you add it to your garden. There can be an issue where there are straw are seeds which might sprout but they're usually very easy to pull and add to your compost pile. It's good to know your source so you know what you're getting. Hay and Straw Glossary A popular organic mulch, hay is commonly used to protect soil and plants from the elements, to line pathways, and to address various needs in the garden. What many people don't realize, however, is that various products are often labeled as "hay" at garden centers, but there are many different types of hay and straw that are commonly sold in bales. While they are easily confused, it's important for gardeners to become familiar with the differences. Salt hay Salt hay, or Spartina patens, is a grassy plant that grows in salt marshes and wetlands. It is useful for keeping weeds from growing in paths, preventing runoff, and keeping soil from turning into mud whenever it rains or the garden is watered. A layer of salt hay will keep soil moist and encourage worms to come to the surface, which will help to aerate the soil. It also makes an attractive path to walk on between garden rows. Salt hay is an ideal all-purpose mulch because its seeds won't grow away from salt water so it won't germinate in your garden. Golden straw What is commonly termed "Golden straw" is either oat straw, Avena, or wheat straw, Triticum. This straw is a by-product of the process of separating oat or wheat seeds from their stalks. Golden straw is often used as bedding in horse stalls; because there are no seeds, the horses won't eat it. This straw spreads nicely, and the lack of seeds means there is no risk of it germinating in your garden. It can be used in the same way as salt hay. Wheat straw An excellent choice for straw for use in the vegetable garden. Lay down six inches in height in the fall then direct sow seeds in the spring. No need to dig. There will be a handful of weak sprouts from seeds, just pull them out. Feed hay Just as its name implies, feed hay is used to feed livestock. Though inexpensive and plentiful, it is not a good choice for use in gardens because it is full of seeds. The main ingredient of feed hay is alfalfa, Medicago sativa. It also frequently contains flowers and seeds from many other plants and weeds such as clover and golden rod. These seeds are likely to germinate, resulting in a garden full of weeds rather than flowers and vegetables.

Are these the holes everyone is talking about? This is my all green Janet sport, and she's not alone. Nearly all of my hostas have these holes, old and new leaves. Only a few in the front yard do not have them, the ones that are new to me this year. All the rest are riddled with them. I thought it might be slugs, though some of the holes must be. But I don't think all these little holes can all be slugs. I had this problem last year too. Certainly makes the hostas less attractive, though I try to look past the ugly holes. First my hostas got pounded with hail (the big torn holes), then these little holes showed up, and then the slugs. But the holes won't keep me from growing them. Karen

My bet is those people putting things out on the curb are doing so because, like palimsest, they can't sell it or give it away. I am in the same boat after cleaning out my parents' home. We left a lot of good things in the house (maple bureaus, glassware, chairs, decorative things) because we didn't have anywhere to put the furniture and it wasn't the really good antiques or sentimental stuff. Had we lived closer, we would have hired someone to hold an estate sale, but getting sister to come up from GA was impossible and we dared not sell anything unless she okayed it-oh well. We live in northern VA outside DC. Charities will not take furniture and people at yard sales are not going to pay anything near what something is worth. We put things on CL, no go. Just as an example, my son did end up selling our huge antique grandfather clock that had been in the family since the late 1800s and was valued at $10,000 by our clock guy who took care of it for 40 years in Bryn Mawr, PA. DS was able to get $4800. A local clock guy here looked at it and offered $1500. He just wasn't being honest. We went ahead because it was in a crate in the garage (too big for our house) and I hated to take a chance that it could be ruined. After he sold it, another potential buyer said he would have given us $6500-after telling us $4500 was as high as he could go. I wish we had never moved it and had sold it up there in PA. Very sad. I do like freecycle and CL because people always seem so pleased to get their "finds," but a lot of the truly valuable (talking mid-range valuable here as in thousands, but not tens of thousands) stuff is hard to get sold. I have one of a pair of cabinets (sister has other, but could probably get the other, too, if someone insisted on having the pair) with beautiful brown marble tops, inlaid wood designs on the doors and side, solid brass trim, etc. for which we can't find a home. They aren't in perfect condition, but they are in good condition. Consignment shops require that we deliver and this is too big and heavy for us to move, plus if it doesn't sell, we would have to pick it up! It really is no fun, is it? Too good to relegate to the garage, but not my style, so it stays where I see it and hate it everyday. I keep thinking that I could get new countertops if I could just sell it! LOL. I feel your pain palimpsest! Alas, don't have any solutions.

Folks, if you must sell in this market...it's all about price. That's normally true anyway, but especially now. I moved to a fairly transient (military) area, where there is a fair bit of new construction. There wasn't much of a bubble but we feel the slowdown. As a result, the builders are dropping and dropping prices, BUT they're moving houses, while most private sellers sit on high prices unsold. Maybe those sellers can't go any lower, but they're not selling either. Many places have come up for rent. My equity from my down payment has pretty much vanished (shh don't tell my lender, they might insist I pay PMI!). But the market is moving again (ok maybe it's the normal seasonal effect too).