Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
larly effective against perennial weeds, organic fruit growers must rely on
mechanical cultivation, hand weeding, thermal weeders, and spot spraying
organic contact herbicides.
A compromise that provides good weed control while allowing you to
continue applying soil amendments is to place a piece of weed barrier fabric
row spacing, cut out weed fabric squares that are 24 to 36 inches per side.
Make a slit from one side to the center of each square and make a hole in
the center just large enough for the trunk or collar to fit through. The fab-
ric squares can be staked into place with wooden pegs or aluminum or steel
wire staples. Alternatively, you can bury the fabric edges with soil to hold the
squares in place. These fabric squares keep a bare zone of soil around the
orchard crop plants while allowing cultivation and other cultural activities.
Using small squares also greatly reduces the cost of weed fabric and reduces
disposal problems later.
