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Managing Weeds in Outdoor Cut Flowers

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Managing Weeds in Outdoor Cut Flowers ManagingWeeds In OutdoorCutFlowers by Una M. Smith, Plant & Soil Sciences, Amherest Weeds compete for water, nutrients and light resulting in reduced search Laboratory, black plastic, remay spun and glued, and flower yield and increased threat ofserious insect and disease prob Weedblock can be utilized successfully in controlling weeds around lems. A successful weed management program utilizes cultural field grown herbaceous perennials. In some studies however, due practices such as cultivation and mulching, or a combination of to the physical restriction of the spreading shoots, these mulches cultural and chemical measures, taking into consideration labor reduced Achillea and Stachys flower production. Spreading pe costs and the cost and availability of materials. rennials that do not produce adventitious roots did not show any significant yield differences from the controls. Organic mulches Weed management begins with a survey ofthe site. Weeds should such as bark, pine straw, and composted yard wastes, effectively be identified and the level ofweed pressure noted. Weeds can be control many annual weeds. Some growers use rotted sawdust, classified according to their life cycles. Knowing the weed life wood chips, spoiled hay and straw. If not composted properly, cycle is important in determining the optimal timing for cultural sawdust and wood chips will rob the soil ofnitrogen. Barkmulches management practices or herbicide applications. Summerannuals and pine straw can be used but are often too costly. Hay generally emerge in the spring, flower, and set seed before the first frost. In contains too many weed seeds and often increases the weed pres cultivated fields, summer annuals tend to predominate as the pri sure. Clean,weed-free straw is often the most cost-effective mulch mary weed type. Winter annuals germinate at the end ofthe sum available, but locally some growers may find other economical mer or early fall, overwinter, then flower and fruit in the summer. alternatives. Organic mulches should be applied to weed-free, warm Biennials need at least two seasons to complete their life cycle soil soon after planting. To be most effective, they should be ap and, like annuals, biennials die after flowering. Perennials, which plied in a layer two to three inches deep. survive more than two seasons, can propagate by seed or vegeta- tively. Vegetative reproductive organs such as tubers, rhizomes Chemical Control (underground stems), stolons (above ground creeping stems), bulbs and conns, are often resilient to both cultural and chemical control Herbicides can be classified into two general use categories: measures and should be targeted for control before planting the preemergence and postemergence. Preemergence herbicides are field. It is also important to scout weed populations during and applied before the weeds germinate but after the crop has been after the growing season in order to assess the success ofthe weed planted . Postemergence treatments are applied after the weeds control program. have emerged. Herbicides may also be classified based on their selectivity. Non-selective herbicides will control any herbaceous Herbicides are available that may be safely used to control weeds plants that are contacted. Selective herbicides will control or sup in cut flowers. However, in many situations herbicides cannot be press only certain types ofplants or weeds. used or are not effective in controlling all the weeds. Even if ef fective herbicides are available, growers should utilize cultural Herbicides are available in several formulations. Usually, the practices that reduce weed infestations and spread. These prac sprayable formulations (emulsifiable concentrates, wettable pow tices will be especially important where herbicides cannot be used. ders, dry flowables, water-dispersible granules) are less expensive than granular. But, granular formulations are often safer on trans Cultural Practices planted cut flowers than are the sprays (due to reduced foliar ab Cover Crop. If one is in the planningstagesof cut flowerproduc sorption). Sprayable formulations can be applied through a trac tor-mounted sprayer in field or by hand-held backpack sprayers tion, use of preplant cover crops should be considered the season prior to planting or earlier. Annual ryegrass in rotation with sum equippedwith a spray boom. Witha backpacksprayer,maintaina mercovercrops will provide organic matter and reduce weed popu constant foot pace, even spray pressure and uniform nozzle ori fices. Regardless of the formulation or equipment used, it is im lations. portant to apply herbicides as uniformly as possible. When apply Cultivation and spacing. Some growers have minimized weed ing a herbicide the square footage of the area to be treated and the competition with a combination of early cultivation and narrow calibrated sprayer/spreader output (amount per area) should be between-rowspacing. This can be effective if the crop gets a head known. Misapplication of the chemical can result in poor weed start on the competition. If the crop's growth is impeded in any control or injury to the crop. Read and follow all label directions way,the weeds will take over. Regular cultivation can limit weed before applying any chemical. A sprayer that is to be used for competition between rows. However, cultivation can injure the herbicides should be labeled as such and used only for that pur roots ofsome cut flowers, contribute to erosion and result in some pose. water losses due to increased evaporation. In-row cultivation is particularly difficult and typically requires hand-hoeingor hand- The following is a partial listing of herbicides that can be used in weeding. cut flower production. Because of the wide variety of cut flower Mulches. Mulches can effectively control most annual weedsfrom species grown it is difficult to recommend any one herbicide that seed. According to Dr. Andrew Senesac of the Long Island Re- will cover all crops. Due to labeling restrictions, possibility of crop injury, limited market, and the difficulty in obtaining new Southeastern Floriculture,January/February, 2002 Page 21 labels many chemical companies do not actively pursue cut flower threadleaf coreopsis, sweet William, daylily, variegated hosta, labels. It is the user's responsibility to follow label instructions. liatris, liriope, geranium,ivy geranium,rose, sedum,annual statice, marigold, and zinnia. Nonselective, post-emergence herbicides Envoy is labeled for over the top applications to chrysanthemum, Nonselective herbicides can be used to control weeds in a field coleus, dahlia, daylily, gazania, iris, marigold, pansy, petunia, prior to planting or to spot spray weeds growing between crop phlox, rose, Salvia, snapdragon, Dianthus, and some varieties of rows. Care should be taken in selecting a herbicide to insure that zinnia. Envoy is the only post-emergence selective grass herbi there will be no residual chemical present that could damage the cide that controls annual'bluegrass (Poa annua). crop. Chemicals that would be sued for this purpose include glyphosate (Roundup- Pro), glufosinate (Finale), paraquat Pre-emergence herbicides (Gramoxone), diquat (Reward), and pelargonic acid (Scythe). Do not apply these herbicides over the top of cut flowers; crop plants To prevent seedling weeds from emerging in a crop, a preemer will be injured or killed. gence herbicide may often be used. Several preemergence herbi cides are available for controlling annual grasses and small-seeded Glyphosate (Roundup-Pro) is absorbed by green tissue and trans broadleafweeds, but large-seeded broadleafweeds are not as eas located to the root system of the plant. Since there is no residual ily controlled. Careful weed scouting can identify hard-to-con soil activity, a crop can be seeded or transplanted into the field trol species and facilitate the selection of the most effective herbi soon after application. Actively growing weeds are much more cide fo the crop. If preemergence herbicides are to be used, be susceptible to the herbicide. Many perennial weeds are best con sure they are labeled for use on the crop plants to be grown. Also, trolled in the early fall when nutrients are being stored in the root in a mixed field ofcut flowers all species being grown should be system. listed on the herbicide label. For information on herbicide regis trations for cut-flowers species consult the NCSU Extension pub Glufosinate (Finale) is also a translocated herbicide, but not as lication AG-427, Weed Control Suggestions for Christmas Trees, well translocated as glyphosate in perennial weeds. Like Woody Ornamentals and Flowers. glyphosate, it has no soil residual activity and can be used as a site preparation treatment or as a spot spray to control escaped weeds. Cut flowers are usually started from transplants, divisions or tu Since glufosinate is not as well translocated as glyphosate, com bers, but sometimes are grown in the field from seed. Generally, plete spray coverage is essential to obtain the maximum control. preemergence herbicides should be applied after transplanting. Research has shown that mostdirect-seeded flowers are more sus Diquat (Reward), Paraquat (Gramoxone) and pelargonic acid ceptible to damage from preemergence herbicides than transplanted (Scythe) are contact herbicides (i.e., they kill foliage on contact seedlings. To achieve the same level ofsafety, the herbicide usu but are not translocated in the plant) and have no residual soil ac ally should not be applied until after plants emerge
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