Weeds

• Weed ~ A plant that is growing where you don’t want it
• 1. What are the five methods for weed control?
  2. Prevention ~ weed establishment is the first line of defense for control weed problems
  3. Federal and state laws are designed to prevent people from bringing invasive stuff 
  4. Prevent travelers from bringing seeds, dirt, bugs, animals, anything
• 1. What are the five methods for weed control?
  2. Cultural practices ~ how you plant things different
  3. Crop rotation ~ rotate crops so you can mix up the chemicals you use for weed control and get them all
  4. When you have a grass crop, use broad leaf chemicals to get broad leaf weeds and vice versa the next year
• 1. What are the five methods for weed control?
  2. Biological control ~ introduction of an animal to eliminate weeds
  3. Requires intensive testing before implementation
  4. The animals/bugs/fungi can
  5. Consume foliage
  6. Destroy roots or crown
  7. Prevent flowering or reproduction
  8. Downside → once released, you can’t control it
• 1. What are the five methods for weed control?
  2. Mechanical or manual control ~ physically removing them
  3. Manual labor ~ physically removing them with a hoe 
  4. But we’re struggling to find people who want to do that
  5. Estimated that herbicide can do the job of 70 million laborers
  6. Mechanical ~ tilling or mowing 
• 1. What are the five methods for weed control?
  2. Chemical control ~ using chemicals to control weeds (herbicides)
• 1. Critical weed-free period ~ window of time where the growing season that weeds cause the largest reduction in yield
  2. when you NEED to control the weeds
  3. 4-6 weeks after crop emergence → kill them then, you’ll maximize your yield