Several years ago, the UC Weed Science group produced a series of training videos. In the next few days, I'm going to share links to the videos. The first topic is principles of weed control. The videos are broken up into smaller parts, so they are easier to view.

Principles of Weed Control

• Video :: Part 1 :: Introduction, preventing weeds through sanitation (5:43)

Have you listened to the latest podcast on Growing the Valley website?

Drew Wolter, UC Davis graduate student (Weed Science Program) from Dr. Brad Hanson's lab, talks about Management of summer weed grasses.

Other...

Weeds in young orchards compete with trees for orchard resources such as sunlight, water and nutrients. This can lead to reductions in growth and future yields. If weed stands are allowed to mature, not only are they harder to control via chemical and mechanical methods, but they can also create cover for voles and gophers which can then damage tree trunks, root systems and irrigation systems.

Weed management can be particularly difficult in newly planted and young orchards because rapid weed growth is accelerated by frequent irrigation necessary to establish trees, fertilizer inputs to grow the trees, and the abundant sunshine due to small tree size. In addition, control is challenging because tree trunks may still be green and...

Why scout for weeds?

While weeds are present in every orchard, there is variation in the weed species composition and density from orchard to orchard. Scouting for weeds is the basis for a good Integrated Weed Management (IWM) plan. Information gathered from weed scouting allows growers to:

• Evaluate the current year's weed control program
• Adjust control practices for the following year
• Discover weed stands and possible resistance before they spread throughout the orchard
• Select the best control option for species of concern, such as:

• Choosing appropriate management...