Monday, April 11, 2011

FREE Field Days on Alternatives to Chemical Control April 19th & 21st

FREE Field Days on Alternatives to Chemical Control April 19th & 21st

The rising cost of chemicals combined with uncertainty about safety and a desire to manage land in a more sustainable way prompts many people to consider alternatives to herbicide. Depending on the situation though, for any type of weed control it is usually a combination of controls that will be the most efficient way to deal with the problem. A good example is Gorse control where large infestations are mechanically mulched and the resultant regrowth is treated by chemicals and any new seedlings can be removed by hand over time. Mechanical control, being the most obvious method of non-chemical weed control, is not covered in this article. Some of the alternatives and a brief description of each method are described below.
 
Flame weeding. Uses an LP gas fired burner-either a direct flame or infrared burner. Weeds are not 'burnt' but lose the ability to move moisture and carry on photosynthesis causing the plant to wither and die within one to three days. Small plants are more susceptible to heat than more mature growth, therefore flame weeding works best when the weeds are small-typically less than 5cm high. Further info on flame weeders www.gameco.com.au
or www.elgas.com.au/for-business/flame-weeding

Steam weeding. Generally steam weeders require significant energy inputs to heat the water and they can require significant amounts of water. Suitable for Forestry, Fruit & Vegetable growers, Vineyards & similar, Road Authorities Shires and City Councils etc. Further info on steam weeders

www.acaengineering.com.au

BioWeed™ Herbicide. Used in agriculture, horticulture and by municipalities. Spot spraying and selective broad acre spraying of blackberry, gorse, ragwort, patterson's curse, thistles and other invasive weed species. BioWeed™ Herbicide works by desiccation of the cell walls of all contacted plant and seed tissue. On contacting living plant or seed tissue it quickly penetrates and disrupts normal membrane permeability and cellular physiology. Sprayed weed leaf tissue becomes dehydrated, creating a quick, visual browning effect within 1 to 12 hours of application. BioWeed™ Herbicide is a certified organic input. Further info on BioWeed™ Herbicide

www.certifiedorganics.info

To find out more on alternative control, The South Gippsland Community Task Force (CWT) in partnership with the Victorian Blackberry Taskforce is hosting two free sessions focusing on alternative blackberry control. Come along to one of the two days and learn from industry experts and real life examples of how blackberry has and can be controlled using alternative methods such as the BioWeed™ Herbicide. The field days are to be held on Tuesday April 19th at the Mirboo North Football Club rooms and Thursday April 21st at the Foster Memorial Arts Centre 10am – 2.00pm (lunch included). Everyone welcome. RSVP essential for catering purposes to South Gippsland Landcare Network (03) 5662 5759 or email

katew@wgcma.vic.gov.au