Weed Control

Distance Learning Course in Weed Management

Learn to identify and manage weeds for Farms, Gardens, Public Open Spaces, Wilderness Areas or any other places where weeds are an issue.

Lesson Structure

There are 7 lessons in this course:

1. Weed Identification: review of the system of plant identification, general characteristics of the weeds, further information, contacts, etc.
2. Weed Control Methods: practical research on management of weeds, understanding terminology and the use of mulches
3. Chemical Weed Control: review of commercial and domestic herbicides, determining what differentiates them, their availability and use.
4. Weed Control In Specific Situations: understanding weed control strategies for particular situations, accessing first hand information about weed control from industry leaders and determining a weed control program for five different sites.
5. Safe Chemical Application: reviewing what types of chemicals and application methods are used in the industry and the required safety procedures for the handling and administrating chemical herbicides.
6. Non-Chemical Weed Control: determining any detrimental effects chemical herbicides have on the environment, reviewing non-chemical applications and their effectiveness.
7. Developing A Major Weed Control Program: a practical lesson where the student can fully demonstrate their understanding of weed control by devising a weed management plan for a designated area.

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

• To distinguish between different types of weeds, and identify common weed species, growing in your locality.
• To understand the characteristics of different weed control methods.
• To be able to explain the use of chemical herbicides to control weeds.
• To be able to specify appropriate weed control methods, for different types of situations.
• To determine appropriate techniques for the safe application of chemical herbicide in a specific situation.
• To be able to explain different non-chemical weed control methods.
• To be able to devise appropriate methods for control of weeds, for specific problems, in both the horticultural and agricultural industries
• To be able to determine a detailed weed control program for a significant weed problem.

What You Will Do

• You will look at and consider 104 different varieties of weeds and prepare plant review sheets for 13 different weed plants.
• Make up a list of information resources.
• Plant 5 different varieties of weeds to study.
• Make drawings of young seedlings of at least fifteen different weeds.
• Speak/interview people who have to deal with weed control in their daily life.
• Visit a nursery, garden shop or hardware store that sells herbicides to the public.
• Visit at least one supplier of herbicides for industrial and agricultural use.
• Contact 4 or 5 of the larger chemical companies for leaflets on different herbicides.
• Investigate at least two workplaces where weed control programs are regularly carried out.
• Visit and inspect five different sites where weeds are a problem.
• Photograph different places that have been treated with weedicides.
• Contact your local Department of Agriculture or Lands Department for researching purposes.
• Visit several farmers who raise different types of livestock.
• Develop a 12 month guideline for an integrated weed control program for a particular site

There are many different ways of controlling weeds, and literally thousands of different weed species which might need controlling. It is always important to use the appropriate treatment for the weed(s) in question. Young weeds are far easier to control than older ones.

Steps in Controlling Weeds

• Know what weed or weeds you are dealing with.
• Know how those varieties grow, and what conditions they do and don't tolerate.
• Create conditions which weeds don't like.

You need to consider whether you want to kill or just control the weeds. When you know these answers you can consider which method is best for your situation.

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