Weed Control

Managing weeds organically, whether in your grain crops or your vegetable plots, requires intimate knowledge of those weeds.

• Learn to identify your weeds, their seeds, and growth habits. Knowing those things arms you with the information you need to design your tillage, cropping, grazing, manure application, fertility and rotation strategies for weed control.
• Your local county Extension office has much basic information on identification of weeds and their biology and cultural control. Many extension publications such as Cultural Control of Wild Oats may no longer be in print, but your local office may have old copies which they could copy for you.
• You might wish to ask your Extension agent for Non-chemical Alternatives for Managing Selected Plant Species in the Western United States. It discusses identification, ecology and biological and cultural controls of perennial and annual weeds common to this area.
• Know the noxious, prohibited weeds in your county and the state. Communicate with your county weed board if you have a problem with these on your property. Ask if there are cost-share funds available for non-chemical control of noxious weeds.

Weed control in vegetable and fruit plots can be accomplished with

• tillage.
• mowing.
• mulches.
• green manure crops.
• crop rotations.
• hand pulling.

Before using any product claiming to be "organic" check the OMRI list of approved substances and with your certifier to be sure the product is acceptable for use. Some synthetic products are approved for restricted use only and their use for another purpose could jeopardize your organic certification.

Opportunities exist for organic farmers willing to participate in research with biological control agents on their farms. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) office in Mandan, ND is responsible for importing and monitoring biological controls in this region. Phone Dave Hirsch at 701-250-4473 or email: David.C.Hirsch@aphis.usda.gov.

ATTRA (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas) publishes the excellent Principles of Sustainable Weed Management for Croplands along with others on individual weeds. Their web site is an excellent source for information on weed and pest control in vegetable and fruit crops as well. Visit their web site at www.attra.ncat.org