September is here and with it comes fall field production. Although weeds may not be a problem now, they soon will over taking those cool season crops. Here’s a tip to help eradicate those weeds before they become an issue: a flame weeder is a great tool for the organic farmer. For cool season production: build your beds, wait for all those weed seeds and root shoots to show true leaves, and then come through with the flame weeder. This is called creating a stale seedbed. Once the weeds are killed, plant your cool season transplants and seeds.

Check out more tips to grow vigorous crops in this month’s Grower’s Toolbox. And, don’t forget about our Sustainable Agriculture Conference in Durham, November 4-6 where you can learn about more tools and tips for sustainable farming in the Carolinas!

Cheers,

Karen McSwain, CFSA’s Director of Farm Services and Food Systems