{Tool} Mechanical weed control with brushes in tree nurseries. Creator(s): Bertels, Lennart. Issuing Organisation(s): Bertels Baumschulen. (2025)
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Summary
This practice abstract from the InnOBreed project explains a mechanical weed-control approach specifically suited to tree nurseries. Because woody plants are grown at narrow spacings—often only 1.25 m or 1.5 m—standard mechanical tools cannot safely remove weeds without damaging young stems. The use of custom-made rotating plastic brushes solves this challenge by combining gentleness with efficiency. Only a few commercial brush systems exist, so many nurseries still rely on individualized, tailor-made mechanical solutions.
| EPrint Type: | Practice tool |
|---|---|
| Teaser: | Keep young nursery trees weed‑free without herbicides. |
| What problem does the tool address?: | Weeds compete directly with young woody plants in nurseries, reducing growth and increasing plant stress. Because tree nurseries typically use very small planting distances, it is difficult to perform mechanical weed control without damaging the young stems. Relying on herbicides is undesirable in organic production, but without effective alternatives, nurseries struggle to maintain weed-free rows while protecting sensitive trees. |
| What solution does the tool offer?: | Hydraulically operated rotating plastic brushes offer a practical, herbicide-free method to remove weeds between tree rows. These brushes gently clear the soil surface—even at narrow planting distances—without harming the stems. The flexibility of bristle material, brush size, and machine configuration allows adaptation to different tree sizes, row widths, and nursery layouts. |
| Country: | Germany |
| Type of Practice Tool: | Practice abstracts |
| Keywords: | temperate fruits, mechanical weed control |
| Agrovoc keywords: | Language Value URI English temperate fruits http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7655 English mechanical weed control http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_24200 |
| Subjects: | Crop husbandry > Production systems > Ornamentals, flower bulbs and tree nurseries |
| Research affiliation: | European Union > Organic Farm Knowledge European Union > Horizon Europe > InnOBreed Germany > Other organizations Germany |
| Horizon Europe or H2020 Grant Agreement Number: | 101061028 |
| Related Links: | https://organic-farmknowledge.org/tool/56829, https://organic-farmknowledge.org/tool/43868 |
| Project ID: | ofk |
| Deposited By: | Dietemann, Lauren |
| ID Code: | 56829 |
| Deposited On: | 11 Feb 2026 14:04 |
| Last Modified: | 11 Feb 2026 14:04 |
| Document Language: | English |
| Status: | Published |
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