New Way To Weed Trees

New Way To Weed Trees CROPS Weed Control 1-6-7 Latest new way to weed shelf erbelts, orchards, fencerows and farmsteads is a "close up" cultivator that automatically works its way around individual trees, posts or other obstructions. Called the Humus Cultimatic, it's manufactured in France where it has been extensively used for ten years and is now available in the U.S. It's designed for mechanical weeding and aeration of the soil right up to the base of plantings, eliminating the need for chemical weed control. Twin horizontal rotors, mounted on a sensor-operated retracting arm, pull weeds out by the roots, cultivating under tree branches, around and between trunks and young, fragile plants. Three models are available. All three models have a working depth of 3 in. to 7 in., 35 in. working width of the rotors, a working speed of 2.5 mph, and they operate off a 540 rpm pto. The KLT-60, smallest of the three models, is about 69 in. wide (with rotors extended) and retails for $4,875. "With a weeding speed of 2.5 mph - and 35 in. working width - the one-man Cultimatic works about an acre per hour. More than 80 people would be needed to achieve such performance," explains B. L. DeFazio, of Tradewinds, Inc., U.S. distributor. He notes that the machine aerates the soil without turning it over, and pulls weeds out by the roots to prevent regrowth. It may be used on a wide variety of soils, types and conditions, including rocks, stones, high weeds, branches, brush, steep slopes, muck or mud. The ultra-sensitive sensor - the brain of the machine - enables the Cultimatic to work even among young, tender plants or small shrubs, such as currant bushes or raspberry canes. For more details, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Tradewinds, Inc., Box 1191, Tacoma, WA 98401 (ph.206 272-4887).

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