[compost_tea] Weeds

From: Shane Gishford <iccs10_at_yahoo.com.au>
Date: Sun, 3 Aug 2003 10:06:52 +1000 (EST)

Weeds are the hardest part of the puzzle to figure out as once they seed they can lay dormant for many, many years, i.e. 20+ years. I have number of them worked out and I'm 100 % sure they can be controlled by balancing the soil Chemistry, and having the soil boilogy in the correct ratio to inhibit their growth. For those of you who have not seen how soil biology can effect the growth of plants I have some examples and in one case we changed the growth of the crop in 4 days to the point where he started to harvest Silverbeet again when he was ready to throw the block out.
 
The biggest problem I am finding is teasing out the required information. In Ardens Anderson and Charles Walters books some examples are given but you have to search around for some weeds especially ones that seem to be specific to your crops or area.
 
The two I am having trouble with are Fat Hen and Black Pigweed. If any one has any sugestions I would be willing to try as they appear to like every thing that the crops like but there must be some thing that I'm missing I think.
 
Could I make a suggestion that this group try to put together a list of weeds (other than the examples in the books) and and how people have combated them.
 
I would like to start with Thornapples. They love nitrate nitorgen so try to reduce to below 8 PPM in the soil. I believe they also thrive on low available Ca (can have a good amout of Ca that is not available) and compacted soil.
Sand burr which is a grass. - Thrives in very sandy soil with low Ca. Add calcium and it stops growing.
 
Regards
 
Shane Gishford
   



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Received on Sun Aug 03 2003 - 00:57:17 EDT

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