Many organic farmers say dealing with weeds is their biggest challenge.
It's easy to understand why: Weed management can be tough in organic systems, especially transitioning ones. But the idea that an organic field is a weedy field is outmoded. Skilled organic management can achieve near-total weed control even in challenging crops like soybeans, small grains, carrots and strawberries.
Another misperception is that organic weed management relies entirely on mechanical cultivation. It's true that you'll be better off if you know your way around a cultivator. But cultural weed-management methods are just as important, if not more so. Crop rotations, adjusted planting dates, mulches and other preventive methods can all be critical components of a successful organic weed-management plan.
Where weeds are concerned, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Using a good mix of organic weed-management practices that work together to lower weed pressure is especially important when weather is uncooperative or other complications arise.
Even in soybeans, our most weed-sensitive crop, we can manage weeds adequately through biological, cultural and mechanical practices. (Photo: TRI)
Reducing the weed seed bank in your soil is important. Some weeds can produce as many as 100,000 seeds per plant, with the seed remaining viable for 40 years or more.
From: Weed Management for Organic Crops (University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2000).
