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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Plowed fields with weeds

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  • From: "dirt.4arm" <dirt.4arm AT gmail.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Plowed fields with weeds
  • Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2007 17:46:59 -0400

>I plowed my fields and then it rained for the next four days. By the time
>the fields dried and there was time to get back in and disk, the fields were
>full of weeds. What is the best way to handle this situation?

Disk or tillage tool (spring tooth harrow/cultivator) them under, stems and
all, and let them rot, completely covered by dirt.
If you have a tractor-mounted rotavator then till them under completely with
that. Harrow (disk or toothed) them before or after rototilling only if
necessary.
If they are not tall then the tototiller will remove them and often if they
are tall as well. If tall then try disking to cut them up then rototill.
Problem exists when the weeds are tall and tough stemmed, like lambs
quarters, goldenrod, ragweed, redroot pigweed sometimes, Pennsylvania
smartweed
and Johnson grass. Then the only option is to rototill multiple passes, or
bottom plow, or disk harrow, whichever works with the soil you have and the
toughness and height
of the weed stems. Often there is a problem using plow, lightweight disk
harrow or toothed harrow when the weeds get pulled out and bunch up with soil
in front of the tillage tool.
If this presents an insurmountable problem then bush hog the field first.
Best bet is to till under any weeds as soon as they emerge or before they are
12" tall.

tillage tool/spring tooth harrow/field cultivator
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/07-28-06_1731.jpg

3 bottom, trip bottom, moldboard plough
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/HowardRotavator-50inch.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/07-28-06_1731.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/07-28-06_1734.jpg

60' 3-point-hitch Howard Rotavator
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/HowardRotavator-50inch.jpg

bush hog mower
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/09-17-06_1610.jpg

Yeomans plow, for deep tillage/subsoiling, to leave soil surface undisturbed
and not inverted, useful in notill applications
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/Yeomans-Plow-2.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/Yeomans-Plow-3.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/10-03-06_1836.jpg

chisel plow tines mounted between hilling-bedding disc implement; useful for
cultivating, weeding and making and maintaining large
raised beds for market production

hiller-bedder with chisel plow tines (all 4 currently mounted side-by-side,
in one row on front toolbar (leaves beds wider and taller)
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/hiller-bedder-2.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/hiller-bedder-3.jpg
hiller-bedder before chisel tines were added
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/07-28-06_1619.jpg
hiller-bedder in use in the field making long raised beds
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/08-03-06_1934.0.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/08-03-06_1933.jpg
beds with crops
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/09-17-06_1634.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/09-08-06_1726.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/09-08-06_1729.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/09-08-06_1731.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/09-18-06_1734.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/09-17-06_1623.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/09-17-06_1622.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/09-15-06_1721.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/09-15-06_1654.jpg
beds after formation, before planting
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/09-02-06_1810.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/1972/907063824599259/1600/09-02-06_1757.jpg

Beds mostly weed-free from using the methods described above:
tillage, timed just right and with the right implements; cover-cropping,
intercropping and allelopathy helped also.

This reply is for Allan Balliett also.





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