From josef@phoenix.ftpt.brThu Oct 12 13:57:23 1995 Date: Wed, 11 Oct 1995 23:47:09 +0000 From: Josef Willibrordus Maria Stoltenborg To: sanet-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu Subject: FLAME CULTIVATION Dear netters: We would like to know more about flame cultivation to control weeds in organic vegetables. Is it possible to build a machine to use on a tractor? Which is the right timing to use flame with crops like carroots, cabbages, beets, letuce? Other idea to make weeds control more economic? Many thanks. Ricardo. -- ============================================================== Josef Willibrordus Maria Stoltenborg e-mail: Josef@phx.ftpt.br ============================================================== From jcb13@cornell.eduThu Oct 12 13:57:39 1995 Date: Thu, 12 Oct 1995 09:10:09 -0400 From: "Jennifer C. Bokaer-Smith" To: Josef Willibrordus Maria Stoltenborg Cc: sanet-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu Subject: Re: FLAME CULTIVATION I suggest that you contact Johan Ascard, who is an expert in flame weeding in organic vegetables. He is in Sweeden and can be reached at: johan.ascard@lt.slu.se Timing is critical in flame weed control, and Johan should be able to provide you with more details both on timing and building a flamer. Another method we use on our farm is called stale-seed bed. We prepare a seed bed fine enought to plant vegetables into, and then let it sit until weeds have germinated but are still very small (no more than cotyledons), usually a week or two. We then go over the ground with a chain harrow, but any cultivation that is shallow works. The idea is to get the first flush of weeds out before you plant the crop. It's important not to cultivate aggresively, or you'll bring up more weed seeds--just skim the surface. This technique works very well, and is worth the loss of a week or two, espeically in small seeded crops like carrots, onions, and lettuce. Good Luck! Jennifer Bokaer-Smith Division of Nutritional Sciences 231N MVR Hall Cornell Univesity Ithaca, NY 14853 Phone: 607/255-7153 FAX: 607/255-0178 e-mail: jcb13@cornell.edu