Using herbicides and solarizing long-term can damage soil, kill beneficial microorganisms, and contaminate groundwater. Soil erosion is a potential hazard with both methods. Solarization kills weeds but requires extreme temperatures to be effective; if done too early or late in the season, it may not work as intended.
Herbicide use should also be kept to a minimum for best results; overuse can lead to resistance in plants or harm local wildlife.