Survey Weeds—Late Fall
By surveying weeds in fall, you can identify summer species
that escaped previous control attempts and determine which perennials
are present. If herbicides were used, surveying identifies the
need for changing to another herbicide. Fall monitoring will
identify any winter species that are emerging.
Ideally tree rows are weed free, whereas weeds growing in row middles may be beneficial in reducing erosion,
soil compaction, water runoff, and sediment runoff to creeks and streams that ultimately impairs water quality.
However, perennial weeds are problematic and should be kept from establishing in row middles.
How to survey your orchard
- Survey your orchard after the first rains of the fall when winter annuals
- If you use cultivation for weed control, monitor at least 2 weeks before you plan to cultivate.
- Look for winter annual weeds in tree rows to check the effectiveness of any preemergent herbicide applications.
- Pay particular attention to perennials.
Check for regrowth of perennials a few weeks after cultivation.
- Sketch a diagram of the orchard and mark areas where perennials are found.
- Keep records of your survey results. By knowing which species
are present, you will be able to make appropriate decisions
on cultural and chemical controls.
- Survey information collected over a period of years tells
you how weed populations may be changing and how effective your
management operations have
been over the long term.
- Use the late-fall weed
survey form to
record your weed observations in order to make weed management
decisions. Keep these records so that you can track weed
population information from year to year to better understand
ongoing weed control problems such as resistance.