Source:
Weed 'Em and Reap Part 1: Tools for Non-Chemical Weed Management in Vegetable Cropping Systems [DVD]. A. Stone. 2006. Oregon State University Dept. of Horticulture. Corvallis, Oregon. Available at: http://www.weedemandreap.org (verified 17 Dec 2008).
This is a Weed 'Em and Reap Part 1 video clip.
Featuring
Ray DeVries, Ralph's Greenhouse. Mt. Vernon, WA.
Audio Text
What a wiggle weeder does, it goes in between the plants. If it does hit a plant, it’ll shortly be off the plant, so then it becomes no problem. The wiggle weeder, it will be used maybe one to two weeks after we transplant. The roots of the weeds are still in the white root stage, that’s when you want to get rid of them. The depth that we use, two inches would be the absolute most, because all you’re trying to do is just disturb the top little layer where the weeds might be germinating.
It would work for transplants that are firmly rooted. Things like strawberries, because that’s originally what it was designed for, but also things like broccoli, cauliflower, anything that’s well rooted. We use it for our leek transplants. It will not work on things like carrots or beets, because it’s going to knock out too many of the carrots and beets.
If you decide you’re going to build one of these things, the part to remember is this machine shakes a lot and wiggles a lot and so everything shakes apart if you weld it.
So the main frame that the teeth are mounted on, you weld together and from that point on, you bolt everything else together because the welds are too solid and the vibration will shake them all loose.
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