'Controlling' Weeds
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:14 am
I have read Back from the Brink (twice) and given another three copies to friends who have an interest in the land. I am also in touch with several other people with an interest who have read the book. Also, our local LandCare group is showing great interest (though the Land Care rep who comes to the meetings is clearly dismissive).
I have advised our Land Care group chairman of the Bungendore Field Day on 5 May, and I am sure that quite a few of our group will come along.
I have also printed off and read the "Weeds - Guardians of the Soil" by Joseph Coccanouer, a marvellous book. These wonderful books have transformed the way I look at the land, and my understanding (still developing) of the role of weeds in the landscape.
Turning to the nature of my interest. We own a property (city-slicker's retreat) which has around 80 acres of pasture and (fortunately) 240 acres of bush. Over the 12 years that we have been there, we have been battling weeds. We have been successful in controlling blackberry (Grazon), serrated tussock (Frenock), St John's Wort (Grazon) and nodding thistle (pulling out using a fork and burning).
We have a rich population of weeds. In addition to the above, we have a lot of Patersons Curse (PC), hedge mustard, fleabane (invaded over the past couple of years), scotch thistle, black thistle, saffron thistle. In addition, we have less pervasive outbreaks of goosefoot (chenopodium...), red sorrel, apple of sodom, skeleton weed, horehound, nettles, deadly nightshade, mallows, amaranthus, caper spurge, mullein, purpletop(squareweed), hawthorn, briar, evening primrose, fathen, dock etc. We even have what I now know to be a desirable weed - purslane.
The pastures have been left fallow for the past 12 years, with only neighbour's cattle grazing (when they break the fences down to get at our feed), two horses, and 100 kangaroos, plus wombats. There are numerous different grasses and clovers and medics as well.
It seems that we are close to having the very wide range of biodiversity in our pastures that Peter refers to. And it is very noticeable that our pastures are much more vigorous this season than neighbouring monoculture pastures. We have wonderful strike of clover and medics and the grasses are thriving as well. The main issue and question that I have is how to control the more vigorous weeds, especially PC.
Our main battle over the past few years has been Paterson's Curse. I have largely prevented flowering for the past 5 years or so, and I thought that I had been on top of it - none at all last season for example. However, with the wonderful rains that we have had since February, our pastures have flourished, along with most of the weeds I have discussed above. Most vigorous of all is PC. They have really thrived, and grown very fast. Some now are 18 inches across and as big as I have seen them. These will clearly be very difficult to control with sprays, and I am looking at biological control methods, and slashing as a way to control them.
It seems clear that the conditions this year have been ideal to encourage germination of seed bank left in the soil.
One of the points that Peter makes is that when nature's processes have advanced sufficiently far, the biodiversity creates intense competition and no one weed can get away. He also says that controlling weeds is important until you get to that point.
I had felt it important to prevent any PC flowering, since PC is a prolific seeder. Does 'control' mean achieving this level of seed prevention, or is it sufficient merely to reduce the population of PC plant?
Another question relates to what happens if you just let PC go? It is clear that it is very invasive if conditions are right. However, what happens after a few years? Does nature somehow use the PC to prepare the ground for other more desirable species? Will nature look after it itself?
Another question is how to deal with neighbours who are addicted to mono-cultures and superphosphate as the way to run their properties. I am expecting them to be concerned about the prolific weeds on my place, and to express their indignation. I am also concerned about the local weeds inspector who may not be responsive to my suggestion that he read Back from the Brink!
My conclusion is that I should continue 'controlling' the more noxious weeds such as serrated tussock, nodding thistle, blackberry and St John's wort and PC. One of the issues is that the selective sprays are very good, but they do knock down some of the other perhaps more desirable weeds.
I would appreciate any comment and guidance from others who are dealing with similar issues.
I have advised our Land Care group chairman of the Bungendore Field Day on 5 May, and I am sure that quite a few of our group will come along.
I have also printed off and read the "Weeds - Guardians of the Soil" by Joseph Coccanouer, a marvellous book. These wonderful books have transformed the way I look at the land, and my understanding (still developing) of the role of weeds in the landscape.
Turning to the nature of my interest. We own a property (city-slicker's retreat) which has around 80 acres of pasture and (fortunately) 240 acres of bush. Over the 12 years that we have been there, we have been battling weeds. We have been successful in controlling blackberry (Grazon), serrated tussock (Frenock), St John's Wort (Grazon) and nodding thistle (pulling out using a fork and burning).
We have a rich population of weeds. In addition to the above, we have a lot of Patersons Curse (PC), hedge mustard, fleabane (invaded over the past couple of years), scotch thistle, black thistle, saffron thistle. In addition, we have less pervasive outbreaks of goosefoot (chenopodium...), red sorrel, apple of sodom, skeleton weed, horehound, nettles, deadly nightshade, mallows, amaranthus, caper spurge, mullein, purpletop(squareweed), hawthorn, briar, evening primrose, fathen, dock etc. We even have what I now know to be a desirable weed - purslane.
The pastures have been left fallow for the past 12 years, with only neighbour's cattle grazing (when they break the fences down to get at our feed), two horses, and 100 kangaroos, plus wombats. There are numerous different grasses and clovers and medics as well.
It seems that we are close to having the very wide range of biodiversity in our pastures that Peter refers to. And it is very noticeable that our pastures are much more vigorous this season than neighbouring monoculture pastures. We have wonderful strike of clover and medics and the grasses are thriving as well. The main issue and question that I have is how to control the more vigorous weeds, especially PC.
Our main battle over the past few years has been Paterson's Curse. I have largely prevented flowering for the past 5 years or so, and I thought that I had been on top of it - none at all last season for example. However, with the wonderful rains that we have had since February, our pastures have flourished, along with most of the weeds I have discussed above. Most vigorous of all is PC. They have really thrived, and grown very fast. Some now are 18 inches across and as big as I have seen them. These will clearly be very difficult to control with sprays, and I am looking at biological control methods, and slashing as a way to control them.
It seems clear that the conditions this year have been ideal to encourage germination of seed bank left in the soil.
One of the points that Peter makes is that when nature's processes have advanced sufficiently far, the biodiversity creates intense competition and no one weed can get away. He also says that controlling weeds is important until you get to that point.
I had felt it important to prevent any PC flowering, since PC is a prolific seeder. Does 'control' mean achieving this level of seed prevention, or is it sufficient merely to reduce the population of PC plant?
Another question relates to what happens if you just let PC go? It is clear that it is very invasive if conditions are right. However, what happens after a few years? Does nature somehow use the PC to prepare the ground for other more desirable species? Will nature look after it itself?
Another question is how to deal with neighbours who are addicted to mono-cultures and superphosphate as the way to run their properties. I am expecting them to be concerned about the prolific weeds on my place, and to express their indignation. I am also concerned about the local weeds inspector who may not be responsive to my suggestion that he read Back from the Brink!
My conclusion is that I should continue 'controlling' the more noxious weeds such as serrated tussock, nodding thistle, blackberry and St John's wort and PC. One of the issues is that the selective sprays are very good, but they do knock down some of the other perhaps more desirable weeds.
I would appreciate any comment and guidance from others who are dealing with similar issues.