Mechanical weeding tools to be preferred
For almost 6 decades, Actisol has been helping to preserve the structure and health of your soil, while complying with agronomic regulations. Our equipment and accessories evolve with you and the new regulations, to offer you effective tools, particularly for mechanical weeding. A virtuous and economical solution, mechanical weed control is an integral part of the Actisol range.
Different weeding techniques
Chemical weed control
This technique involves spraying synthetic products onto weeds to destroy them. The use of a herbicide must be carefully considered. To do this, you need to take into account the quantity of weeds present in the crop, as well as their species, their stage of emergence, any resistance they may have and the climatic conditions, in order to achieve optimum, safe results.
However, it should be borne in mind that the use of chemical weedkillers has an impact on local fauna such as earthworms, butterflies and bees, among others.
Next, it is vital to consider the type of herbicide to be used. This will ensure that the current crop is not damaged. You should also find out about the product’s persistence, to avoid poisoning the next crop.
There are several types of herbicide:
- Contact herbicides: which act by penetrating targeted tissues.
- Systemic herbicides: these penetrate the sap and spread throughout the weed.
Their action can be :
- Root penetration: they will act by application through the soil and by capillary rise in the plant.
- Foliar penetration: these herbicides are applied to plants that have already emerged.
This method has to be mastered in order to respect the environment as much as possible.
Mechanical weed control
As a complement or alternative to chemical methods, mechanical weeding is a solution that can be combined to combat weeds. It is essential for weeds that have developed resistance to herbicides. Reducing the impact of synthetic products and adapting to the withdrawal of certain substances has enabled this method of weed control to develop in recent years.
This technique can be used in vineyards, field crops or market gardening. A wide range of equipment is available: scalpers, harrow-tillers, blades, roto-tillers, hoes, etc. In field crops, mechanical weeding is recommended when the plants are still young.
Their use must be considered in advance according to a number of criteria:
- The crop to be weeded and its growth stage
- The type of soil
- The weeds targeted
- Their emergence period
- Weather conditions before and after use
- The resistance of certain species such as grasses
For mechanical weeding to be effective, the soil must not be too wet or frozen. If possible, a weather window without rain (or very little) should be respected within 3 days of using the tool, otherwise weeds may reappear.
THE ACTISOL ADVICE: Upstream, to weaken the stock of weed seeds in the soil, crop rotation and stubble working can be a good way of anticipating their emergence. There is also a method involving false seeding to create the right conditions for weed seeds to germinate. The Stell’air Actisol mulching machine can be used for this operation. Once the seeds have germinated, a second pass will destroy them, thus reducing their stock on the plot.
Auxiliaries insects: the future of organic weed control?
The use of herbicides is strictly forbidden in organic farming. But did you know that insects can fulfil this role?
The use of phytophagous beneficials (insects that consume plant matter), which is little known in France, has proved its worth in other parts of the world. Scientists claim that this practice, when properly supervised, does not cause any ecological imbalance. Studies carried out 5 to 10 years before the first releases ensure that these beneficial insects do not attack existing crops. Combined with mechanical weeding, this would make it possible to control weeds without resorting to synthetic products.
Could this be the weed control of the future?
The advantages of mechanical weeding
As well as reducing the use of chemicals for the environment, mechanical weeding has a number of agronomic advantages.
It aerates and decompacts the soil, allowing crops to develop their roots under good conditions. It also stimulates the life of micro-organisms that encourage the mineralisation of organic matter, which is essential for growing crops. Lastly, this technique has a real impact on water management, as it limits water run-off, while cutting the capillarity of the soil. Water is therefore more available for crops.
THE ACTISOL ADVICE: “1 hoeing is worth 2 waterings”. This popular expression in the agricultural world is very real. Hoeing multiplies the absorption of water by the root system. Watering will therefore be necessary less often and will be more effective when the time comes.
Our mechanical weeding tools
Actisol offers a wide range of options for mechanical weed control: for arable crops, vines, or local authorities/green spaces. From complete equipment to accessories, a wide range is available to suit every need.
Equipment | Range | Special features | Pictures |
|---|---|---|---|
DEMETER | Field crops | Complete, versatile equipment for cracking, scalping and stubble working. Fitted with blades, they weed plots and rows in a single pass by extirpation. |  |
|---|---|---|---|
CYBELLE | Field crops | Complete, versatile equipment for cracking, scalping and stubble working. Fitted with blades, they weed plots and rows in a single pass by extirpation. |  |
|---|---|---|---|
VITÉA | Vineyards and Market gardening | Complete, versatile equipment for cracking, scalping and stubble working. Fitted with blades, they weed plots and rows in a single pass by extirpation. |  |
|---|---|---|---|
MULTÉA | Vineyards and Market gardening | Complete, versatile equipment for cracking, scalping and stubble working. Fitted with blades, they weed plots and rows in a single pass by extirpation. |  |
|---|---|---|---|
OMNISOL | Vineyards | Complete, versatile equipment for cracking, scalping and stubble working. Fitted with blades, they weed plots and rows in a single pass by extirpation. |  |
|---|---|---|---|
ECOLAME | Vineyards | Under-row weed control accessory with hydraulic blade (triggered by pressure sensor). |  |
|---|---|---|---|
BETWEEN VINES BLADE SPRING | Vineyards | Blade activated mechanically by a tension spring. For weeding under the row. Adaptable to all power ratings. Easy to maintain and mounted on a square bar for quick assembly and disassembly. |  |
|---|---|---|---|
HYDRO BLADE | Vineyards | Under-row weeding accessory with hydraulic blade (triggered by pressure sensor). Numerous options for different uses are available. |  |
|---|---|---|---|
ECOSOL | Green spaces | Equipment specifically designed for maintaining public spaces. Mechanically weeds and restructures surfaces. |  |
|---|---|---|---|
Mechanical action: the world of Actisol
For many years now, Actisol has been providing advice on how to work your soil in a way that respects conservation agriculture. A healthy soil is essential to us.
That’s why we’ve developed a whole range of mechanical weeding equipment to limit the use of chemicals in agriculture. More agro-ecological, they will help you move towards reasoned and virtuous agriculture.
