I've been reading with interest the posts on caltrop and onion weed.
I was wondering what is the best way of controlling soursobs and what they may be an indication of - such as low fertility or a lack of certain elements within the soil. I'm also curious as to whether they have any benefits to the soil.
We have some on sandy as well as clay soils and I've heard that the best time to spray them with glyphosate was just as they were starting to flower. I was curious to know as to whether anyone had controlled them using NSF techniques.
Nick
Soursob
Moderator: webmaster
Hi Nick and welcome 
As you have read and as Peter has written all weeds are the bandaid , covering a wound, they heal the land.
I don't know the properties of soursub, but if it is sour and stock don't eat it, sounds like the perfect bandaid. Please let it grow and work its magic. You will be pleasantly surprised
On my land, scotch thistles were starting to grow and people told me to spray them, I didn't and 6 months later they are dead, as there work is done.
How long have you had stock off your land for and can you give us some history and size of your farm?
Brett
As you have read and as Peter has written all weeds are the bandaid , covering a wound, they heal the land.
I don't know the properties of soursub, but if it is sour and stock don't eat it, sounds like the perfect bandaid. Please let it grow and work its magic. You will be pleasantly surprised
On my land, scotch thistles were starting to grow and people told me to spray them, I didn't and 6 months later they are dead, as there work is done.
How long have you had stock off your land for and can you give us some history and size of your farm?
Brett
Hi Brett,
I am a broadacre cropping farmer in the mid north of SA. We have soils that range from heavy red clay to clay loam to sandy soils. Rainfall is in the 275 - 375mm range per annum with most of this occuring through winter.
We run both cattle and goats - the goats are used for summer weed control on one of our blocks that has a bad problem with silver leafed nightshade and they are supplementary fed in smaller paddocks during the crop growing season. The cattle are run on unarable saltbush grazing land during winter and on stubbles during summer.
Soursobs occur predominately through our native scrub on the sandy block as well as along creek lines in our clay soils. They are not grazed during their growing season.
I have recently read both of Peters books and can see that a lot of what he talks about can be observed on our farm. I have been mowing down marshmallow plants over the last couple of years around the yard when they are mature and have noticed this year that the grass seems to be at the stage of taking over from them. I am curious to know more about weeds and what they actually indicate about the soil and how I can get that soil back into balance. If anyone knows of any good books on this subject, I would be interested in reading them.
We are also trialling some biological techniques following on from Maartin Stappers ideas. I have seen improved grain quality and reduced plant diseases on some of these paddocks. Chicken manure as an alternative fertiliser is also being trialled and I have noticed that where manure has been spread last year and there is stubble on the ground that the earthworms seem to be getting going in the soil.
I guess in a nutshell I am sick of high input chemical farming and am looking at how I can transition to a more sustainable system without going broke in the process. My initial aim is to be able to grow crops without pesticides and fungicides while looking at how I can manage herbicide use with a better understanding of weeds and what they indicate about the soil.
Nick
I am a broadacre cropping farmer in the mid north of SA. We have soils that range from heavy red clay to clay loam to sandy soils. Rainfall is in the 275 - 375mm range per annum with most of this occuring through winter.
We run both cattle and goats - the goats are used for summer weed control on one of our blocks that has a bad problem with silver leafed nightshade and they are supplementary fed in smaller paddocks during the crop growing season. The cattle are run on unarable saltbush grazing land during winter and on stubbles during summer.
Soursobs occur predominately through our native scrub on the sandy block as well as along creek lines in our clay soils. They are not grazed during their growing season.
I have recently read both of Peters books and can see that a lot of what he talks about can be observed on our farm. I have been mowing down marshmallow plants over the last couple of years around the yard when they are mature and have noticed this year that the grass seems to be at the stage of taking over from them. I am curious to know more about weeds and what they actually indicate about the soil and how I can get that soil back into balance. If anyone knows of any good books on this subject, I would be interested in reading them.
We are also trialling some biological techniques following on from Maartin Stappers ideas. I have seen improved grain quality and reduced plant diseases on some of these paddocks. Chicken manure as an alternative fertiliser is also being trialled and I have noticed that where manure has been spread last year and there is stubble on the ground that the earthworms seem to be getting going in the soil.
I guess in a nutshell I am sick of high input chemical farming and am looking at how I can transition to a more sustainable system without going broke in the process. My initial aim is to be able to grow crops without pesticides and fungicides while looking at how I can manage herbicide use with a better understanding of weeds and what they indicate about the soil.
Nick
I am with you all the way Nick.I guess in a nutshell I am sick of high input chemical farming and am looking at how I can transition to a more sustainable system without going broke in the process. My initial aim is to be able to grow crops without pesticides and fungicides while looking at how I can manage herbicide use with a better understanding of weeds and what they indicate about the soil.
There are a lot of books which have information, keep looking and you will find them.
We will find a way!