Stale seedbed technique

In some years, if there is enough soil moisture, stubble cultivatiorrs arrd the stale seedbed technique can be a useful aid to weed control. The soil is cirltivated ready to sow the next crop weeds are allowed to grow and are then killed before planting the crop. Inter-row cirltivations are still used in some crops, particularly if there is a difficult weed to corrtrol, such as weed beet in sugar beet, or where there ate limited herbicides approved for use, as in field vegetables. There is some interest in the use of in-crop weeders as a method of reducing herbicide inputs. 

The stale seedbed technique, using cultivation or a contact herbicide to kill weeds prior to drilling is frequently used. An alternative is a pre-emergence application of metazachlor herbicide. Inter-row cultivations or harrow combing are also carried out by some growers, particularly on organic farms. 

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