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  • From: bcluton AT aol.com
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Controlling quackgrass organically?
  • Date: Wed, 02 Apr 2008 07:08:08 -0400

Summer cultivation is really the best way to control quack grass.  Your alternating sod and crop ground approach is probably very good for soil health but is creating a window for root and rhizome development on the quack grass.  You might need to figure out a way to work a round of summer cultivation and/or bare fallow periods into it on the quack grass infested areas.  Or find a crop that you can get good clean cultivation on in that same window.  The goal is to get the quack grass cultivated a few times during warm and dry weather.  Tine cultivators or anything that acts to bring "trash" to the surface will be best.   This way you'll be drying out and killing rhizomes.

Good luck. 

Brian 


-----Original Message-----
From: Marcy <mlynn AT pcisys.net>
To: 'Market Farming' <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wed, 2 Apr 2008 12:04 am
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Controlling quackgrass organically?

Conventional wisdom says the best way to control quackgrass is to first spade up the area, being extra careful to sift out every single piece of root. Dry the roots thoroughly, then burn them completely. After burning, be darn careful what you do with the ashes!
 
Sorry, I couldn’t resist!!
I tried plastic before too.  Can’t tell you what the long term results were since I moved, but short term seemed to make it stronger.
 
Marcy
 
From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Glen Eco Farm
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2008 9:20 PM
To: Market Farming
Subject: [Market-farming] Controling quackgrass organically?
 
I know this question has probably been asked several times before on this list but i am too busy (lazy?) to go dig it out of the archives so I am going to ask it again.  Just what are certified organic farmers doing to control quackgrass? 
 
I've been spot spraying with glyphosate for a number of years now and I may as well quit because it isn't working.  The stuff just keeps popping up all over the place.  I lay out my crop ground in alternating strips with grass so I can have a form of crop--noncrop rotation and soil building with grass, legumes, and various perrenial weeds growing in the non crop areas.  I keep these areas mowed and rotate them back to crop strips every couple of years.  
 
I am resolving this year to try and be a better boy by repenting of some of my past sins of using forbidden materials (even on a limited basis) such as glysophate (aka Roundup), some salt based fertilizers (side dressed or foliar sprayed), and some broad spectrum insecticides and fungicides for the worst infestations.  It's kind of like drinking beer.  One can easily justify drinking a little every now and then--after all beer is not that high in alcohol and it won't hurt you if you don't overdo it--right?  Trouble is after awhile you find your self drinking more and more.  If you really want to play it safe just stay away from the stuff!
 
Of course I can go out and diligently dig it up--or cover it up with several layers of black plastic--yeah right!  It's really getting itself established in the current noncrop strips and is going to be a real mess in a couple of years when I try to rotate it back to crop strips.  The only thing I know to try right now is to get a better chisel plow, rip the hell out of the infested spots, and hope for another drought this summer.  If that doesn't work I guess the next thing will be to look for another farm.
 
Marlin Burkholder
Shenandoah Valley
Virginia
 
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