SDSU Provides Updated Recommendations on Soil Tarping

New research shows soil tarping can help vegetable growers manage weeds without harming soil health

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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South Dakota State University has published new recommendations on soil tarping that can help producers manage weeds. SDSU graduate Hannah Voye, as part of a multi-state research team, recently published new research demonstrating that soil tarping - laying tarps on the soil prior to planting vegetable crops - can be valuable for vegetable growers to manage weeds without harming soil health.

Why it matters

Soil tarping is an important weed management strategy for vegetable growers, but there were concerns about the potential negative impacts on soil health. This research shows that soil tarping can be an effective weed control method while maintaining soil microbes and overall soil health, which is crucial for sustainable vegetable production.

The details

Voye used onions as her test crop at the SDSU campus and looked at two different types of tarps to manage weed growth. One method uses an opaque tarp to prevent light from hitting the soil and germinating weed seeds, while the other uses clear tarps to warm the soil and jumpstart weed growth, exhausting the weed seed bank early in the season. The research found that tarping for 2-6 weeks had minimal impacts on soil microbes, providing a balance between weed management and soil health.

  • Voye's research was published in March 2026.

The players

Hannah Voye

A 2025 graduate of SDSU with a master's degree in plant science, who conducted research on soil tarping as part of a multi-state team.

Kristine Lang

An assistant professor and SDSU Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist who co-advised Voye's research.

Rhoda Burrows

A retired professor and SDSU Extension Horticulture Specialist who co-advised Voye's research.

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What they’re saying

“Our study showed reduced weed pressure, and not a lot of crazy impacts on soil health, which is a positive thing for growers to know.”

— Hannah Voye, SDSU Graduate

“Many growers were worried about hurting soil microbes on their farms, and this research showed that impacts on soil microbes were very minimal when tarping for 2 to 6 weeks.”

— Kristine Lang, Assistant Professor and SDSU Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist

What’s next

The research has been published in two papers, and Voye hopes that further research on the topic of soil tarping will continue to benefit vegetable growers.

The takeaway

This research demonstrates that soil tarping can be an effective weed management strategy for vegetable growers in the Northern Great Plains without significantly impacting soil health, providing a sustainable solution for producers.