Summary

Organic weed management does require a shift in attitude. I know how hard it is to get over the idea that your fields have to be absolutely weed-free if you want to call yourself a good farmer. But striving for 100% weed eradication in organic systems is not essential. The fact is, most crops can tolerate a few weeds without showing any impact on yield or quality.   

Research at the Rodale Institute, moreover, has shown that organic crops actually have a greater ability to tolerate weeds than non-organically managed crops do. In almost 30 years of side-by-side trials, our organic plots have consistently yielded as well as our non-organic plots, even though the organic plots usually have heavier weed pressure. It may be that the organic crops suffer less competition from weeds because soil quality is better, making nutrient and water resources more plentiful.

Or, it may be that more complex ecological interactions are taking place. After all, weeds can play a variety of useful roles within your farming system. They can help protect the soil from wind and water erosion. They provide food and habitat for wildlife and beneficial species. They can increase biodiversity, aid nitrogen fixation, add organic matter and catch excess nutrients. They serve as trap crops for pests and provide grazing for livestock.

My organic weed-management plan features a variety of strategies designed to reduce weed pressure as much as possible. However, my basic goal is just to keep weed pressure below the economic threshold—the point at which it has an impact on the crop.