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Sustainable Sustainable Weed Weed Management Management Strategies Strategies
Sustainable Small Acreage Sustainable Small Acreage Farming and RanchingFarming and Ranching
Know your WeedsKnow your Weeds ID your weeds in your fieldID your weeds in your field Be sure you want to get rid of itBe sure you want to get rid of it
““Weeds are plant we have not yet found a use Weeds are plant we have not yet found a use for.”for.”
They do have a role:They do have a role:– Holding waterHolding water– Creating organic matterCreating organic matter– Providing coverProviding cover– Habitat for beneficial insectsHabitat for beneficial insects
Tools for ControlTools for Control ExclusionExclusion
– Don’t bring weed seeds onto Don’t bring weed seeds onto the farmthe farmNutrients brought onto the Nutrients brought onto the farmfarm– Raw manure will have seedsRaw manure will have seeds
MulchesMulches– Don’t use hayDon’t use hay– Straw is betterStraw is better
Tools for ControlTools for Control
Instead of manure – use Instead of manure – use compostcompost
Turn the pile often to get the Turn the pile often to get the temp even throughout and kill temp even throughout and kill seedsseeds
Be careful of source materialBe careful of source material– Malva sp. resistant to heatMalva sp. resistant to heat
What can I compost?
Animal manuresStraw, hayVegetable matterYard debrisWood shaving/chipsNewspaperFruit and vegetable wastes
Organic Production Compost non-animal materials
Plant residues, etc
No specific composting regulations
Organic Production Compost with animal materials
• Initial Carbon to Nitrogen ratio 25:1 – 40:1
• In vessel or covered 131-170oF, 3 days, All portion of pile meets this temperature.
• Turned windrow 131-170oF, minimum 15 days with 5 turns.
Don’t let weeds go to Don’t let weeds go to seed!seed! Early cycle weed controlEarly cycle weed control Is it worth continued Is it worth continued
harvesting from a field to harvesting from a field to justify continued weed justify continued weed management?management?– Hand weeding is expensiveHand weeding is expensive
$200-$700/Ac$200-$700/Ac
CulitvatingCulitvating
Expensive to control in row Expensive to control in row Cultivate on both sides of rowCultivate on both sides of row Precision planter Precision planter
Get a uniform standGet a uniform stand Shallow plantingShallow planting
– Deeper the planting, the longer for germinationDeeper the planting, the longer for germination Distance between rowDistance between row
– Shade out weedsShade out weeds– Plant dense - set up a bed like systemPlant dense - set up a bed like system
Cover crop the year Cover crop the year beforebefore Use cover crop Use cover crop
for weed for weed suppressionsuppression
Shallow tillageShallow tillage– Brings smallest Brings smallest
amount weeds amount weeds to the topto the top
TransplantsTransplants
Give 4+ week jump on Give 4+ week jump on weedsweeds– Plant at the right planting Plant at the right planting
density can give you weed density can give you weed free plotsfree plots
IrrigationIrrigation
Drip irrigationDrip irrigation is more water is more water efficient efficient
Also by directing water to the Also by directing water to the crop it minimizes weed crop it minimizes weed germination and reduces germination and reduces need to cultivateneed to cultivate
Timing of CultivationTiming of Cultivation
Cultivate as soon as you canCultivate as soon as you can– Small weeds easier than big weeds to Small weeds easier than big weeds to
removeremove Do not irrigate right after Do not irrigate right after
cultivationcultivation
Depth of cultivationDepth of cultivation– Depends on weed speciesDepends on weed species
Solarizing the soilSolarizing the soil
Cultivate soilCultivate soil
Irrigate soil completelyIrrigate soil completely
Put plastic over the soilPut plastic over the soil– Weed get cookedWeed get cooked
Soil gets up to 120 degrees FSoil gets up to 120 degrees F
Solarizing the soil Solarizing the soil (cont.)(cont.)
Bacteria fungi die and release Bacteria fungi die and release nutrientsnutrients
Cooler climates two layers of plasticCooler climates two layers of plastic– Have PVC between layers – create dead Have PVC between layers – create dead
air spaceair space
Needs to be on for at least 30 days Needs to be on for at least 30 days during the heat of the summerduring the heat of the summer
Weed control with Weed control with herbivoresherbivores
Hylobius sp.
Rangeland or extensive pasture land
Large populations distributed (often dropped by airplane)
Takes time…
EquipmentEquipment
A large part of controlling A large part of controlling weeds is recruitment of the weeds is recruitment of the appropriate technologyappropriate technology
The following is a short The following is a short survey of the available survey of the available equipment.equipment.
Hand Hand ToolsTools
Hand Hand ToolsTools
Three point hitch Three point hitch mounted.mounted.
separate separate hydraulically hydraulically driven rotary driven rotary headhead
Weed control for Weed control for perennial plantsperennial plants
Weed Weed BadgerBadger
FlamerFlamer
Flame Flame engineering kitengineering kit
Perennial crop Perennial crop model for weed model for weed control in bermscontrol in berms
Different models Different models available for beds available for beds or rows.or rows.
FlamersFlamers
SteamersSteamers
Spring Spring Tooth Tooth CultivatorCultivator
Specially suitable Specially suitable for weeds with for weeds with underground underground rhizomesrhizomes– Bring rhizomes to Bring rhizomes to
surface and causes surface and causes them to desiccatethem to desiccate
Timing is criticalTiming is critical
BushhogBushhog
Rotary Rotary mower mower
Cutting Cutting cover cropcover crop
Mowing Mowing weeds before weeds before setting seedssetting seeds
Basket Basket WeederWeederBudghing CorpBudghing Corp
Newly planted Newly planted transplantstransplants
Weed seedling Weed seedling controlcontrol
Timing criticalTiming critical
Annual sowthistle: Annual sowthistle: Sonchus oleraceus L.Sonchus oleraceus L.
Description: Basal leaves are on stalks, upper leaves clasp the stem. Leaf Description: Basal leaves are on stalks, upper leaves clasp the stem. Leaf shape, seeds, and flowers have some resemblance to dandelion. shape, seeds, and flowers have some resemblance to dandelion.
Cultural Control methods: Stale seedbeds, crop rotation, and any other Cultural Control methods: Stale seedbeds, crop rotation, and any other treatment that reduces the spread and production of seeds are helpful. treatment that reduces the spread and production of seeds are helpful.
The method for a stale seedbed treatment: prepare the beds, water to The method for a stale seedbed treatment: prepare the beds, water to encourage the weed seeds to germinate, and then kill by shallow tillage or encourage the weed seeds to germinate, and then kill by shallow tillage or herbicide application. Then plant the crop. Rotating to a cool season crop herbicide application. Then plant the crop. Rotating to a cool season crop other than lettuce will help. Preplant cultivations, a dry soil mulch thrown other than lettuce will help. Preplant cultivations, a dry soil mulch thrown over the seed, and deep plowing (inverting the soil to a depth of 16 inches over the seed, and deep plowing (inverting the soil to a depth of 16 inches will provide some control.will provide some control.