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.