PRELIMINARY GUIDE TO

SITE PREPARATION AND WEED CONTROL IN

HARDWOOD PLANTATIONS IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO

F. W. VON ALTHEN

GREAT LAKES FOREST RESEARCH CENTRE

SAULT STE. MARIE, ONTARIO

REPORT O-X-288

CANADIAN FORESTRY SERVICE

DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

MARCH 1979

Copies of this report may be obtained

from

Information Office,

Great Lakes Forest Research Centre,

Canadian Forestry Service,

Department of the Er.vircnments

Bo'x 490, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

P8A 5M7

Frontispiece. White ash {Fraxinus ameviaana L.) plantation 10 years

after planting in plowed and disked soil and treated

with 4.5 kg/ha (4 Ib/ac) of Princep® 80W in each of the first 3'years after planting. Height: 8.5 ra (28 ft),

d.b.h. : 8 cm (3.5 in.).

ABSTRACT

The necessity of site preparation and post-planting weed

control in the successful establishment of hardwood plantations is

discussed. The results of a series of experiments, carried out in

southern Ontario, show that the best method of site preparation is

the elimination of the weed cover by one application of 4.7 L/ha

(i U.S. gal/ac) of Roundup® in late summer followed by plowing and disking of the total plantation area. Where treatment of the total

area is impossible or inadvisable it is best to plow and disk strips

after spraying dhem with Roundup®. Following site preparation and planting, annual applications of 3.4 to 5.6 kg/ha (3 to 5 lb/ac) of

Princep® 80W keep the plantations relatively weedfree until the trees outgrow the competition. Other site preparation and post-planting

weed control treatments are described in detail and the cost of all

treatments is estimated.

RESUME

L'auteur traite de la necessite de la preparation des

stations et du desherbage apres le plantage, pou le succes des plan

tations de bais durs. Les resultats d'une serie d'experiences menees

dans le sud de 1'Ontario montrent que la meilleure methode de pre

paration des stations est 1'elimination des mauvaises herbes au moyen

d'une application de Roundup® a raison de 4.7 L/ha (£ gal americain/ ac) a la fin de 1'ete, suivie de labourage a la charrue a disques

sur toute la superficie de la plantation. Si le traitement de l'aire

totale est impossible ou a deconseiller, il vaut mieux labourer et

passer la charrue a disques par bandes apres l'arrosage au Roundup®.

Suite a la preparation de la station et au plantage, des applications

annuelles de Princep® SOW a raison de 3.4 a 5.6 kg/ha (3 a 5 lb/ac), garderont les plantations libres de mauvaises herbes jusqu'a ce que

la taille des arbres depasse celle de la concurrence. D'autres modes

de preparation des stations et de desherbage sont decrits en detail et

le cout de tous ces traitements est evalue.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

INTRODUCTION 1

SITE PREPARATION 1

POST-PLANTING WEED CONTROL 7

FACT SHEET FOR ROUNDUP® 16

FACT SHEET FOR PRINCEP^ 17

FACT SHEET FOR KERB 19

REFERENCES 20

APPENDICES

INTRODUCTION

Experiments and field observations have convincingly shown

that site preparation and weed control are essential to the successful

establishment of hardwood plantations on abandoned agricultural land

in southern Ontario (von Althen 1972, 1977b). While coniferous species

also benefit greatly from cultural treatments, they are generally able

to survive and grow in weed infested fields (Newton 1967). Once these

species have outgrown the competition, growth rates increase markedly.

In contrast, most hardwood seedlings planted in weed infested

fields never produce stems of sawlog or veneer quality. Although

survival generally remains high because hardwood seedlings are able to

sprout repeatedly from the root collar or lower section of the stem,

tree form is generally very poor. For most upland hardwood species

veneer and sawlogs are the only products of commercial value. Planta

tions that yield small trees or trees of poor form are therefore prac

tically worthless except for erosion control, windbreaks, and similar

purposes.

Hardwood plantation establishment is very much like farming

where certain cultural treatments are essential to produce a crop. Site

preparation and weed control during the first few years after planting

are expensive but without them a plantation will most likely fail and

the money and time invested in planting the seedlings will have been

wasted. All landowners should therefore be fully aware of the work

required and the cost of the various treatments under consideration

before the trees are planted.

This report describes the most successful site preparation and

weed control treatments and provides an estimate of the cost of these

treatements. It is hoped that this information will help landowners

to establish successful plantations by providing technical information

and by convincing the prospective plantation owner that site preparation

and weed control are essential to successful hardwood plantation

establishment.

SITE PREPARATION

The purpose of site preparation is to remove unwanted

vegetation and improve the physical condition of the plantation

soil (van Ouwerkerk and Boone 1970). Site preparation treatments

are carried out before planting and are therefore generally more

efficient and economical than post-planting treatments. Once

seedlings have been planted, the choice of treatments is largely

restricted because the trees interfere with the free movement of

machinery and the most efficient application of herbicides. Site

preparation therefore offers the widest choice of weed control and

soil improvement treatments. Site preparation also has a profound

effect on post-planting weed control. The most intensively prepared

sites generally require the least post-planting weed control, and the

treatments that are initially more costly may therefore turn out to be

the cheapest in the long run.

The choice of treatments will depend on topography, soil mois

ture, stoniness, accessibility, species, density and size of the exist

ing cover, the species to be planted, the preference of the owner, and

the cost of the various methods under consideration. However, the

governing consideration should always be successful plantation estab

lishment. The objective of site preparation is to create the best

possible conditions for high survival and fast initial growth. These

are important because a fully stocked plantation of fast growing trees

will more quickly outgrow the weed competition and will thereby shorten

both the rotation and the period of greatest seedling susceptibility to

browsing by rabbits and deer or stem girdling by mice. Once the seed

lings have outgrown the competition they are generally able to provide

their own weed control and no further cultural treatments are necessary.

The best method of site preparation is to eliminate the unwanted

vegetation by one broadcast application over the total area of 4.7 L/ha

G "U.S. gal/ac) of ROUNDU?®1 in July or August. One to two weeks after the Roundup application the total area is plowed and disked, with a

further disking in autumn to kill the weeds that have germinated since

the earlier treatments. This combination of chemical and mechanical

site preparation eliminates all vegetation, even the deep rooted weeds

and grasses, and loosens the soil for improved aeration, moisture infil

tration and retention (Sprankle and Meggitt 1972).

Before Roundup® became available, the best method of site prepa ration was plowing in early summer and repeated disking during the summer

and autumn (Baker and Blackmon 1973, Wilkinson 1973, Connell and Finney

1973) (Fig. 1), These treatments are highly successful on sites with

broadleaved vegetation, but often fail to control the regrowth of quack-

grass. To eliminate the quackgrass on these sites the recommended

treatment is to broadcast 4.5 kg/ha (4 lb/ac) of KERB® 50W in late autumn over the plowed and disked field (Anon. 1970). The KERB^ effec

tively kills the grass and the field is ready for planting in spring

(Dickmann-et al. 1977).

Roundup® and Kerb® are equally effective in the control of most grasses, including quackgrass. However, Roundup1^ kills all vegetation

sprayed, while Kerb® kills most grasses but few broadleaved weeds. The cost of grass control per hectare is nearly the same for both herbi

cides. The choice of herbicide therefore depends mainly on the con

dition of the planting site, the preferred time of application and the

preference of the owner. While Roundup^" must be sprayed on actively

growing vegetation in July or August, Kerb®" is sprayed in late October or early November and may be applied over the tops of trees without the

necessity of shielding or directing the spray away from the trees.

The use of commercial names is solely for the information of the

reader, and does not constitute endorsement by the Great Lakes Forest

Research Centre.

Fig. 1. Total planting area plowed in summer and disked

repeacedly during the summer and autumn.

Fig. 2. Strip 2 m C6 ft) wide rototilled in late autumn.

While spraying, plowing, and disking of the total plantation

area have proven highly successful in promoting seedling survival and

growth, treatment of the total area is inadvisable on steeply sloping

land or land susceptible to erosion. Also, plowing and disking of the

total area are impractical on partially treed land where the trees

interfere with the efficient use of machinery. On these sites, strips

at least 2 m (6 ft) wide should be sprayed with Roundup and plowed

and disked two weeks later. Rototilling to a depth of 15 cm (6 in.)

without prior herbicide spraying has also proven successful (von Althen

1976) (Fig. 2). However, good site preparation generally requires

four passes of the tiller over the same area. Plowing of strips

without prior chemical control of the vegetation is generally less

successful because many weeds survive the plowing and extensive

regrowth occurs from the rootstocks (Fig. 3). Plowing and disking of

strips is somewhat more successful in controlling the regrowth of weeds

than is plowing alone (Fig. 4). Disking the strips several times pro

vides better weed control than a single disking, but repeated disking

in one direction may create a shallow ditch. This is undesirable

because it impedes drainage which may reduce seedling growth.

Spraying Roundup® effectively eliminates most weeds and grasses CLange et al. 1973, Sutton 1978). However, in clay and clay

loam soils, unless spraying is followed by plowing and disking, the

slit made in spring by the shoe of the planting machine may reopen

during the summer (Fig. 5). This exposes the seedling roots to desic

cation and mice, and results in high mortality and reduced growth

(von Althen 1977a). If the same soil is plowed and disked or roto-

tilled, the planting slit does not reopen and seedling growth is

normal.

On sites where it is impossible or undesirable to treat either

the total planting area or strips, individual planting spots may be

prepared by spraying with Roundup© (Fig. 6). Spot diameter should be

at least 1.2 m (A ft), the larger the better for seedling survival

and rapid growth (Krajicek and Phares 1971). Spot treatment is most

efficiently applied in the summer with a backpack sprayer. Excellent

vegetation kill is obtained by mixing 30 ml (1 fl oz) of Roundup®

with each 4.5 L (.1 gal) of water and thoroughly wetting the vegetation

but avoiding runoff from the leaf surfaces.

Experiments have shown that furrowing is a poor site prepara

tion treatment in hardwood afforestation (von Althen 1971a). Some

planting machines are fitted with V-blades or moldboards which scalp

or plow a furrow. The slice of soil removed from the furrow is

deposited upside down along either side of the furrow to reduce weed

competition for the first few years after planting. However, the

temporary relief from weed competition obtained by this method seldom

compensates for loss of growth because of the lower fertility of the

subsoil in which the seedling roots are planted (Bjorkbom 1972). Seed

lings planted in furrows also lose their height advantage and are

exposed to damage from flooding and frost. Furthermore, mice using

Fig. 3

Many deep-rooted weeds survive

plowing and extensive regrowth

occurs from the rootstocks.

Fig. A

Plowing and disking provides

better weed control than

plowing alone.

Fig. 5

jj-jS*? Reopened planting slit in clay

loam following Roundup®

^Ss^i1^ application but no plowing 1$&£M& or disking.

Fig. 6

Spot li (3 ft) in diameter

sprayed with Roundup® in August before spring

planting.

the furrows as runways girdle the stems during the winter (Fig. 7).

If a planting machine has moldboards these must be removed for hard

wood planting.

Fig. 7. White ash (Fraxi-nus amevicana L.) seedling

girdled by mice.

POST-PLANTING WEED CONTROL

The purpose of post-planting weed control is to protect the

planted seedlings from serious competition by weeds and grasses

(Phipps 1963, Erdmann 1967). Ideally the seedlings should be provided

with conditions that will enable them to outgrow the competition within

3 to 5 years after planting.

As stated previously, it is always much easier to maintain

good weed control after the unwanted vegetation has been removed by

site preparation, than to attempt to eliminate the vegetation after the

seedlings have been planted. The first step in any successful post-

planting weed control is therefore good site preparation (Byrnes 1966).

Unless otherwise stated the following discussions presuppose that the

unwanted vegetation has been eliminated by site preparation.

Excellent weed control can be obtained by disking or rototill-

ing between the rows of trees and spraying Roundup^ on the unwanted

vegetation within the rows. To work efficiently it is best to leave

just enough space between the rows of trees to permit passage of a

tractor with disk or rototiller. Within the rows the trees should be

no more than 120 to 150 cm (4 to 5 ft) apart to promote early canopy

closure. Disking or rototilling once per month from June to September

will keep the area between the rows relatively weed free. Roundup® is most effectively applied with a backpack sprayer. Mix 30 ml (1 fl. oz.)

of Roundup® with each 4.5 L (1 gal) of water and wet the foliage of the unwanted vegetation. Although Roundup® is a contact herbicide which will injure or kill all vegetation sprayed, it is relatively easy, if care is

taken, to avoid spraying the leaves of tree seedlings. Spraying should

start when the weeds are 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in.) tall. Spraying at

this early stage of growth will require a second application at the

end of July or the beginning of August to kill the late emerging weeds.

However, if spraying is delayed until the weeds are as tall as or taller

than the tree seedlings it is impossible to spray the weeds without

having some spray drift onto the tree leaves, and furthermore, seedling

growth will already have suffered from the competition.

In the past it has been common practice to disk between the

rows of trees without providing weed control within the rows. Evidence

has shown that most tree seedlings derive little or no benefit from

this treatment. Even with disking between the rows, the seedlings

are generally still surrounded by weeds which deprive them of moisture

and nutrients and physically interfere with their growth. A dense weed

cover also provides an ideal habitat for mice which feed on the seed

ling stems when their normal food becomes scarce (Radvanyi 1974). If

time or money is limited for weed control, much more benefit will be

derived from the elimination of weeds growing immediately around the

seedlings than from disking between the rows. However, the advantage

of using mechanical weed control between the rows, and chemical control

within the rows, is the elimination of all serious competition and the

prevention of serious browsing and girdling damage.

Another efficient method of maintaining effective weed control

is an annual application of Princep® (Fig. 8-11). Princep© is a

pregermination herbicide which prevents the establishment of a new weed

cover. It is less effective in eliminating well established, deep-

rooted weeds (Byrnes et al. 1973).

Fig. 8. Black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) seedlings planted three

years previously in plowed and disked soil but without

post-planting weed control.

.16 IB/A SIMAZM

APPLIED :^s

Fig. 9. Black walnut seedlings of the same plantation as shown in

Figure 8 but with applications of 6.7 kg/ha (6 lb/ac) of

Simazine® 80W shortly after planting and in April of the second year.

Fig. 10. Black walnut seedling of Che same plan

tation as shown in Figures 8 and 9,

eight years after planting without any

post-planting weed control.

Fig* 11. Black walnut seedlings of the same

plantation as shown in Figures 8, 9,

10, eight years after planting with

applications of 6.7 kg/ha (6 Ib/ac)

of Simazine® 80W in years 1, 2, and 5

11

Princep® is most effective when applied in early spring.

This allows the herbicide to be activated by the available soil

moisture or by early spring rains before most weeds have started

to germinate or grow. However, many planting sites are inaccessible

in early spring, and manpower demands are generally highest at this

time. In situations where an early spring application is impractical

or impossible, Princep® may be applied in late autumn before freeze-up, though some will be lost during the winter. However, Burschel (1963) found that the deactivation of Princep® is closely correlated with temperature. At soil temperatures of 8.5, 18 and 25°C (47, 64 and

77°F), 50% of the applied Princep® was deactivated in 135, 40 and 20 days, respectively. At very low temperatures the deactivation

was minimal. To avoid extensive deactivation it is therefore

important to apply the Princep® in late autumn when the soil temperature is low but before the soil is frozen. If Princep is

applied in early autumn the dosage must be increased to compensate

for the deactivation expected to occur before winter.

Each species has its own Princep1^ tolerance at any given physiological state (Moreland et al. 1959, Uhlig 1967). This

tolerance is modified by the texture, organic content, and moisture

of the planting soil, the climate, seedling age, time since establish

ment, and time and method of application (Sutton 1967). Table 1 shows

Princep® SOW dosages recommended for different species and years since planting. Most tree species tolerate up to 3.3 kg/ha (3.0 lb/ac)

of Princep® 80W but this dosage is often insufficient to control established weeds or those sprouting from rootstocks or rhyzomes.

An application of 11.2 kg/ha (10 lb/ac) of Princep® SOW will kill all weeds and grasses. But this dosage will also seriously injure or

kill all commonly planted hardwood species except black walnut

(Juglans nigra L.) which is highly resistant to Princep® (Wichman

1969).

Excellent first-year weed control is generally obtained by

broadcasting Princep® with a tractor-mounted sprayer over the total

plantation area shortly after planting (Fig. 12). Because most

hardwood seedlings grow slowly during the first year after planting it

is generally possible to use the boom sprayer again to braodcast

Princep® over the total area in either the autumn of the first growing season or the spring of the second year. However, in

plantations of fast growing trees like poplars (Populus spp.)

or silver maple (Aoer saaoharinum L.) the young trees may be too

tall to pass under the sprayer boom. In these plantations, as well

as in older plantations, it is most efficient either to use a short

sprayer boom which will fit between the rows of trees or to spray the

herbicide with a backpack sprayer (Fig. 13 and 14). When a short

boom is used' the two outside nozzles should be angled outward to

spray the weeds growing within the rows of trees. If the spray is

applied with a backback sprayer, a strip approximately 0.6 m (2 ft)

wide should be sprayed on either side of the seedlings (Pig. 15).

12

Tab Id 1. ijuldti Co thts application

planted Ln fully SUlClVXtl

of Prlnct:p^ :0W Ln plantations of hardwood treca and shruba

od asrlcultural land.

Soil

Shortly af;

planting

In aucuan li the

line yaar or In

spring or ■ucuoti

of the second and

foliating years"

]cg/ha Lb/ac

31ack valnut

3utternuc

White aah

L.)

Silver sapla

(Acer iccc'-^rin^i L.)

Sugar =a=Li

(Acer zzcs'rz

Amur saple

f/!cer jirjuii! Haxla.)

Sasavood

L.)

'-"hire oak

Sed 9*k

?-J:~x L.)

Blacjt cnerry

■-"hica birch

(Sijais ?==jK,-3ri Marsh.)

Cacaloa

alack Locus;

Uardar)

iii L.)

ti4 L.)

European sauncain ash

Kentucky coffee :rec

i. Koch)

oil1/*

Cotconwood pop la

Hybrid poplirs

3artr.)

5.0

5.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

5.0

4.0

5.0

4.0

5.0

5.0

5.3

1.0

3.:

4.0

3.0

4.0

4.0

5.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

5.0

4.0

2.0

3.0

S.7

6.7

4.5

4.5

6.7

6.7

4.5

5.6

4.5

6.7

6.0

6.7

4.5

4.5

4.5

4.5 5.6

4.5

S.6

4.5

4.5

5.6

5.6

5.6

3.4

3.4

6.0

6.0

4.0

4.0

6.0

6.0

4.0

4.0

4.0

S.O

6.7

6.0

4.0

4.0

4.0

4.0

5.0

4.0

S.O

4.0

4.0

5.0

5.0

S.O

3.0

3.0

al clones have very different

tolerances rans-"-? fr=n htgjily s-jjeep-

:he re duri&g tluu jucium jn

by 10Z to conper.ajc? for

13

Fig, 12. Tractor-mounted boom sprayer.

In plantations where grass is the main competitor, an application

of 4.5 kg/ha (4 lb/ac) of Kerb® 50W in late autumn, but before freeze-up, will control regrowth in spring (Fig. 16). Kerb® is taken up through the roots and may therefore be applied safely over the top of the tree

seedlings without the necessity- of shielding or directing the spray

away from the seedlings. Kerb1^ will kill most grasses but few broad-leaved species: an additional application of Princep® or some other herbicide is therefore required to control the growth of broadleaved

weeds.

Only three herbicides have been discussed in this report.

Many more herbicides are at present used in agriculture, and new

herbicides are developed each year. Many may have use in forestry.

However, until tests have proven the usefulness and safe application

of these herbicides it is recommended that plantation owners use the

older, well known herbicides with their proven effectiveness and safety.

Weeds and grasses may also be controlled by mulching (Lane

and Me Comb 1953, Byrnes et al■ 1973), Experiments have shown that strips

or patches of black polyethylene film 0.1 cm (.004 in.) thick control

weed growth effectively for 3 years, while film .05 cm (.002 in.)

thick controls weed growth for one year (von Althen 1971c). An

additional benefit provided by mulching is the reduction of soil

surface evaporation (Yawney and Carl 1970) , The greatest disadvantages

are the high cost of the film and the difficulty of application.

Machines exist today which spread the film on the ground and cover the

edges with soil to prevent the sheets from blowing away, but no

satisfactory system has yet been developed that allows simultaneous

mulching and planting of tree seedlings.

Fig. 13- Backpack sprayer with continuous

pumping action.

Fig. Hand sprayer with pressure obtained

by periodic pumping.

15

,

Fig. 15. Motorized backpack sprayer.

Fig. 16. 2.2 kg/ha (2 lb/ac) of active Keri# (4.5 kg/ha

of 4 lb/ac of Kerb®'50W) applied in late October has killed all quackgrass in the strip behind the sign.

16

Mulching with sawdust or peatmoss has proven largely ineffective

in controlling weed growth (Bey et al. 1975). While the commercially available, shredded peatmoss is quickly dispersed by heavy rains,

sawdust 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in.) thick is readily penetrated by quack-

grass and to a lesser extent by broadleaved weeds. An additional

disadvantage is the attractiveness of the sawdust to mice. These build

their nests in the mulch, and when food becomes scarce they feed on

the stems of tree seedlings (von Althen 1971b).

FACT SHEET FOR ROUNDUP®

Trade name of herbicide

Common name of active ingredient

Manufacturer

Formulation

Concentration

Available at

Size of container sold

19 78 price

Description:

: Roundup

: Glyphosate

: Monsanto

: Water soluble liquid

: 3.6 Ib/gal or 359 g/L

of active ingredient

: Monsanto, P.O. Box 787,

Streetsville, Mississauga,

Ontario, L5M 2G4, or most

Co-op stores and garden

centres

: One U.S. gallon

: $65.00/gallon

A non-selective contact herbicide which kills or injures

all plants, including tree seedlings, when sprayed on

the foliage. Roundup® is inactivated in the soil. It therefore does not provide residual weed control. Per

ennials, or unemerged plants arising from underground

rhyzoraes or rootstocks, will not be affected by the

spray and will continue to grow. Since many annual

weeds germinate from seed throughout the growing season,

repeated applications may be necessary to control weeds

which have germinated since the earlier spraying.

Roundup® enters plants through the leaves and moves into the root system. Visible effects on most annual weeds

occur within 2 to 4 days but on most perennial weeds

they may not occur until 7 to 10 days after spraying.

Cold or cloudy weather at treatment time may slow down

activity. Prolonged drought at time of spraying or

rainfall within 6 hours after application may prevent

uptake of the chemical and an additional treatment may

be required.

Spray Equipment: Do not mix, store or apply Roundup© or Roundup® spray solutions in galvanized steel or unlined steel (except

stainless steel) containers or spray tanks. Use only

Mode of Action:

17

How to apply:

'■Then, to apply

plastic, fibreglass, aluminum or stainless steel

tanks. Spray large areas with tractor-mounted boom

sprayers and small areas or spots with backpack or

hand sprayers.

For site preparation and in non-crop areas where it

is desirable to eliminate all vegetation, broadcast

the spray mixture over the total area or apply in

strips or spots. In areas where young trees, shrubs

or other desirable plants have been planted, either

direct the spray away from the desirable vegetation

or shield the vegetation from the spray. Never

spray on windy days and always avoid drift which

might injure or kill desirable vegetation.

At any time during the growing season as long as the

vegetation is tall enough to provide adequate leaf

surface to receive the spray. For spring applica

tion, spraying should be delayed until the weeds

are 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in.) tall. 3est control of

most perennial weeds is obtained when treatment is

made in late grcwth stages, as weeds are approach

ing maturity (August and September).

How much to apply: For large areas mix 4.7 L of Roundup^ with 337 to 560 L of water (depending on the size and density of

vegetation) for each hectare to be sprayed (j U.S. gal

with 30 to 50 gal of water for each acre). For small

areas or spot treatments mix 30 ml (1 fl oz) of

Roundup® with each 4.5 L (1 gal) of water. The area covered with 4.5 L (1 gal) of mixture depends on the

height and density of the vegetation. For best

results wet the foliage uniformly and completely but

avoid runoff from the leaf surfaces.

FACT SHEET FOR PRINCE!

Trade name of herbicide

Common name of active ingredient

Manufacturer

Formulation

Concentration

Available at

Princep1^

Siniasine

CI3A-Geigy

Wettable powder or granular

Wettable powder 30% active

ingredient

Granular 4% active ingredient

CI3A-Geigy Canada Ltd.,

Agrochemicals Div.,

1 Westside Drive, Etobicoke,

Ont. M9C 132, or most Co-op

stores or garden centres

18

Size of container sold

1978 price

Description:

Wettable powder = 5-lb bag

Granular = 50-lb bag

Wettable powder = $3.6O/lb

Granular = $1.05/lb

Mode of action:

Spray equipment:

A selective pregermination herbicide used to control

many broadleaved weeds and grasses. Some hardwood

species are highly resistant to simazine injury while

others are injured or killed by dosages necessary for

the effective control of most weeds and grasses. Once

Princep® is in the soil its lifespan is greatly influ enced by soil temperature. At low temperatures it is

very stable and can persist in the soil for many

months. At 25°C, 50% of the active ingredient will

disappear within 20 days.

Princep® enters the plants through the roots. Any up take through the aboveground parts of the plants is

minimal. After translocation, Princep© disrupts

photosynthesis. Death occurs within a few weeks

after application depending on the rate of uptake.

Princep® may be sprayed with any equipment suitable for the job to be done. For large areas it is most

economical to use a tractor-mounted boom sprayer,

while small areas, strips or spots may be sprayed

with backpack or hand sprayers.

Since Princep® is taken up mainly through the roots it can be sprayed safely over the top of tree seed

lings and shrubs without the necessity of shielding

or directing the spray away from the desirable vege

tation,

In spring as early as possible after the ground has

thawed. This allows utilization of the soil moisture

and spring rains to activate the herbicide before

weed growth starts. Where early spring application

is not feasible or practical, apply Princep® in late

autumn, but before the soil is frozen.

How much to apply: Each species has its own tolerance to Princep®. A

safe dosage for one species may be detrimental to

another species. For the application to hardwood

trees and shrubs see the table on page 12. Princep®

should not be used on soils with a high organic

matter content since much of the active ingredient

will be tied up by the organic matter.

How to apply:

When to apply:

19

FACT SHEET FOR KERB' ©

Trade name of herbicide

Common name of active ingredient

Manufacturer

Formulation

Concentration

Available at

Size of container sold

1978 price

Pronamide

Rohm and Haas

Wettable powder

50% active ingredient

Rohm and Haas Co. of

Canada Ltd., 2 Manse Road,

West Hill, One. M1E 3T9

or most Co-op stores and

garden centres.

3-lb bag

58.75/lb

Description:

Mode of action:

Spray equipment;

A selective herbicide used to control quackgrass,

certain other perennial grasses, most annual

grasses and a few broadleaved weeds. Most broad-

leaved weeds, hardwood trees and shrubs are highly

resistant to Kerb®. Once in the soil, Kerb© has a limited lifespan. At 5°C it is very stable and can

persist in the soil for many months. At 25°C, 50%

of the active ingredient will disappear within 30 days.

Kerb enters the plants through che roots. Any

uptake through the aboveground parts of plants is

minimal. Kertf® produces root inhibition in sensitive species and abnormal shoot development. Affected

species die either before or soon after emergence from the soil.

Kerb'3 may be sprayed with any suitable equipment. For large areas it is most economical to "use a tractor-mounted boom sprayer, while small areas,

strips or spots may be sprayed with backpack or hand sprayers.

b® How to apply: since Kerb® is taken up mainly through the roots

When to apply:

p y roug

it can be sprayed safely over the top of tree

seedlings and shrubs without the necessity of shielding or directing the spray away from the desirable vegetation.

As a pre-emergence treatment, which is aost effective, apply Kerb® at the end of October or the beginning of November before the soil is frozen. Rainfall is essential before freeze-up to move the chemical to the root zone. For

postemergence treatment Kerb® should be

20

in the spring or early summer when the soil temperature

is still low and the weeds and grasses are small.

However, to be effective, spring and summer applica

tions must be followed by rainfall within a few days or

the Kerb® must be incorporated into the soil.

How much to apply: For larger areas mix A.5 kg of Kerb® 50W with 220 L of water for each ha, or 4-lb of Kerb® 50W with 20 gal of water for each acre to be treated. For small

areas mix 100 g (8 heaped tbsp) of Kerb® 50W with each 4.5 L (1 gal) of water. This volume of mixture

should cover approximately 225 sq. m (2400 sq. ft).

REFERENCES

Anon. 1970. Kerb selective experimental herbicide. Rohm and Hass Co.

Tech. Bull. EX-A-141a.

Baker, J.B. and B.G. Blackmon. 1973. Summer fallowing improves survival

and growth of cottonwood on old fields. USDA For. Serv., Southern

For. Exp. Stn. Res. Note SO-149. 3 p.

Bey, C.F., J.E. Krajicek, R.D, Williams, and R.E. Phares. 1975. Weed

control in hardwood plantations. p. 69-74 in Herbicides in

forestry, J.H. Wright For. Conf. Proc, West Lafayette, Ind.

Bjorkbom, J.C. 1972. Ten-year growth of planted paper birch in old fields

in Maine. USDA For. Serv., Northeast For. Exp. Stn. Res. Pap.

NE-246. 6 p.

Burschel, P. 1963. Das Verhalten der forstlich wichtigen Herbizide

im Boden. Forstarchiv:221-233.

Byrnes, W.R. 1966. Site preparation and weed control, p. 20-27 in

Black walnut culture Workshop Proc. USDA North Central For.

Exp. Stn., Carbondale, III.

Byrnes, W.R., J.E. Krajicek, and J.R. Wichman. 1973. Weed control,

p. 42-48 in Black walnut as a crop. Symp. Proc, USDA North

Central For. Exp. Stn., Carbondale, III.

Connell, R.Q. and J.R. Finney. 1973. Effects of direct drilling and

reduced cultivation on soil conditions for root growth. Outlook

on Agriculture 7:184-189.

Dickmann, D., R. Heiligmann, and K. Gottschalk. 1977. Herbicides aid

establishment of unrooted poplar cuttings. Tree Plant. Notes

28:3,4,10-13.

21

Erdmann, G.G. 1967. Chemical weed control increases survival

and growth in hardwood planting. USDA For. Serv., North

Central For. Exp. Stn. Res. Note NC-34, 4 p.

Krajicek, J.E. and R.E. Phares. 1971. How to control weeds in

black walnut plantings. USDA For. Serv., North Central For. Sxp.Sen. 8 p.

Lane, R.D. and A.L. MeComb. 1953. Effects of grass competition upon the establishment of hardwood plantations in Iowa. Agric. Exp. Stn., Iowa State Coll. Res. Bull. 399:435-459.

Lange, A., H. Kempen, W. McHenry and 0. Leonard. 1973. Roundup -

a new perennial weed killer. Cal. Agric. 27:6-7.

Moreland, D.E., W.A. Gentner, J.L. Hilton and K.L. Hill. 1959. Studies on the mechanism of herbicidal action of

2-chloro-4, 6-bis (ethylamino)-s-triazine. Plant Physiol. 34:432-435.

Newton, M, 1967. Control of grasses and other vegetation in

plantations. p. 141-147 in Herbicides and vegetation management in forests, ranges and noncrop lands. Symp.

Proc. Sch. For., Oregon State Univ. Corvallis, Ore.

Phipps, H.M. 1963. Growth response of some shelterbelt species following sod removal—preliminary results. USDA For. Serv Lake States For. Exp. Stn., Res. Note LS-21. 3 p.

Radvanyi, A. 1974. Survey and control of small manimal populations on two hardwood plantations in southern Ontario. For Chron. 50:181-185.

Sprankle, P., and W.F. Meggitt. 1972. Effective control of quack-grass with fall and spring applications of glyphosate.

North Central [U.S.] Weed Control Conf. Proc. 27:54.

Sutton, R.F. 1967. Selectivity of herbicides. For. Chron 43-265-268.

Sutton, R.F. 1978. Glyphosate herbicide: an assessment of forestry potential. For. Chron. 54:24-28.

Uhlig, S.K. 1967. Untersuchungen zum Problem der Resistenz von Pflanzen gegentiber Simazin. Arch, fur Pflanzenschutz 3:215-227.

van Ouwerkerk, C., and F.R. Boone. 1970. Soil-physical aspects

of zero-tillage experiments. Neth. J. Agric. Sci. 18:247-261.

22

von Althen, F.W. 1971a. Site preparation and weed control in white

ash and black walnut afforestation. Can. For. Serv., Sault

Ste. Marie, Ont. Inf. Rep. O-X-153. 13 p.

von Althen, F.W. 1971b. Effects of weed control on the survival and

growth of planted black walnut, white ash and sugar maple.

For. Chron. 47:223-226.

von Althen, F.W. 1971c. Black polyethylene mulch, best for germination

and growth of seeded black walnut. Can. For. Serv., Ottawa,

Ont. Bi-mon. Res. Notes 27:16-17.

von Althen, F.W. 1972. Preliminary guide to hardwood planting in

southern Ontario. Can. For. Serv., Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

Inf. Rep. O-X-167. 12 p.

von Althen, F.W. 1976. Effects of site preparation and post-planting

weed control on the survival and height growth of planted

hardwood seedlings. Can. For. Serv., Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

Report O-X-248. 15 p.

von Althen, F.W. 1977a. Site preparation prevents re-opening of

planting slit in heavy-textured soils. For. Chron. 53:166-

167.

von Althen, F.W. 1977b. Hardwood planting in Ontario. For. Chron.

53:204-214.

Wichman, J.R. 1969. Inherent tolerance of black walnut and tulip

poplar seedlings to soil-applied herbicides. Thesis for M.Sc.

degree, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, Ind. 46 p.

Wilkinson, B. 1973. Tillage: soil management, nutrient requirements

and crop yield. Chem. Indus. 9:420-424.

Yawney, H.W. and CM. Carl. 1970. A sugar maple planting study

in Vermont. USDA For. Serv., Northeast. For. Exp. Stn. Res.

Pap. NE-175. 14 p.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX I

Cost of machine time or manual labor per 0.4 ha (1 acre) used in the

calculation of cost estimates shown in Appendix II.

Rototilling ( A passes over the same area) $60

Plowing 520

Disking in two directions or between rows of planted trees $ 8

Broadcast application of herbicides $10

Manual spraying of unwanted vegetation within rows $15

Manual spraying of 500 spots $20

APPENDIX II

Estimated cost per 0.4 ha (1 acre) of site preparation and weed control

treatments.

A. Site preparation treatments.

1. Plowing of the total plantation area in July $20.00

Disking shortly after plowing and in August

and September 24.00

Total

Broadcast application of Roundup® over the total plantation area in August $10.00

Roundup® 4.7 L/ha (i U.S. gal/ac) 33.00 Plowing the total area one to two weeks

after spraying 20.00

Disking shortly after plowing and in autumn 16.00

Total

3. Plowing the total plantation area in July $20.00

Disking shortly after plowing and in August

and September 24.00

Broadcast application of Kerb® in autumn 10.00

Kerb® 50W 4.5 kg/ha C4 Ib/ac) 35.00

Total S39.OO

4. Plowing of strips 2 m (6 ft) wide in July

with strips of equal width left untouched

(one half of total area treated) $10.00

Disking of scrips shortly after plowing

in September 8.00

Total

5. Rototilling of strips 2 m (6 ft) wide in

September with strips of equal width

left untouched (one half of total area

treated) 330.00

Total $30.00

6. Spraying Roundup® in strips 2 ra <6 ft)

wide in September with strips of equal

width left untouched (one half of area

treated) $ 5.00

Roundup® 2.4 L/ha (£ U.S. gal/ac) 17.00

Total

(continued)

Spraying Princep® SOW ta strips 2 m C6_ft) wide with strips of equal width lert untouched (one half of total area sprayed)

® p SOW 5.5 kg/ha (5,0 lb/ac) over one half of area

Total

APPENDIX II (continued)

7. Spraying Roundup® in strips 2 m (6 ft) wide in September with scrips of equal width left untouched Cone half of total

area sorayed) s " nn

Roundup® 2.4 L/ha (i U.S. gal/ac) \j[00 Plowing and disking of sprayed strips 14.00

Total $36.00

8". Spraying Roundup® over 500 spots per 0.4 ha (1 acre), each spot having a diameter of 122 cm (48 in.)

Roundup® ; L/ha (9 U.S. fl. oz./ac)

Total

Post-planting weed control (annual cost)

1. Broadcast application of Princep® 80W over the total plantation area 3in nn

Princep® SOW 5.6 kg/ha (5.0 lb/ac) IB 100

Total 3 28.00

2. Disking between the rows of trees once per month from May to September (5 times)

Spraying Roundup® on the unwanted S40.00 vegetation within che rows in June and Augus t

Roundup® 0.5 L/ha (0.1 U.S. gal/ac)

Total

3. Broadcast application of Princep® 80W over the total plantation araa

Pxincep® SOW 5.6 kg/ha (5.0 lb/ac) Broadcast application ox Kerb® in late Oc££ber Co control quackgrass Serb® 50W 4.5 kg/ha (4 lb/ac)

Total 373.00

(conti

APPENDIX II (concluded)

5. Spraying Princep® 80W over 500 spots per 0.4 ha (1 acre), each spot having

a diameter of 122 cm (48 in.) $20.00

Princep® SOW 5.6 kg/ha (0.5 Ib/ac) over one sixth of area 3.00

Total