Direct Controls

Although cultural methods provide the basis for weed management in organic crop rotations it is likely that some form of direct action will be needed against weeds to prevent crop loss at some time. Before taking any action it is important to take an overview and assess whether the weeds present are likely to develop to such an extent that they will cause an immediate loss of crop or will store up potential future problems (e.g. by shedding seed and adding to the soil seed bank so exacerbating future weed problems). If the weed burden is judged to have the potential to cause damage the cost of this should be offset against the likely costs of any immediate or future direct control measures so that direct weeding is only underaken when it is economically beneficial to do so. Our section on decision making considers various questions to ask before carrying out any weeding operations. (i.e. is weed control needed? Where and when is it needed?)

If action is necessary a range of options is available for direct weed control in organic crops. This section of the website is devoted to giving those options and discussing approaches to the direct control of weeds. It has been split into sub-sections that describe each of the approaches in more detail and these sections can be accessed through the menu on the left side of the page or by clicking the links below.

Many of the above approaches rely on tractor mounted or other equipment and so we have also provided a page of links to weed machinery sites in order to help you search for options and also so you can directly see what they have to say about their kit.

If you have any comments on any of the approaches described in these sections please use the add comments button to make any appropriate remarks.


Comments

  1. I would like to know whether japanese knotweed survives passage though the rumen of cattle
    - jocelyn riley 9---0-2005

  2. Cattle, sheep and goats eat the young shoots of Japanese Knotweed which will not survive the maceration and digestion processes (like all other fresh plant material). However, the more mature plants are considered to be unpalatable and so you will not be able to eradicate this weed by grazing alone and will have to resort to other measures. For more information on managing this weed see the pages on Japanese Knotweed elsewhere on this site.
    - Gareth Davies 9---0-2005

  3. I have lots of chick weed in my flower beds and while working at a nursery someone gave us a recipe for killing it with borax and water, but don't remember the ratio. Do you have anything on that? Appreciate any help in this area. thanks. Bonnie
    - Bonnie Phillips 4---0-2008

  4. i have just pulled thorn apple from my horses field the stage at which i pulled was that the flower had gone and the seeds were still attached to the plant,is it safe for him to graze in that area
    - jane byerley 1---1-2008

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