** From the Western IPM Center October 2020 newsletter **
An potential option for xeriscaped yards
Low-Dose Electricity Shows Promise as a Non-Chemical Option for Weed Control
Start with a heaping helping of weeds in an orchard owned by an electrical engineer, then add in a weed scientist and a dash of Western IPM Center funding.
What you get is a promising (dare we say shocking?) new way to control weeds in certain landscapes.
It's electric weed control, and New Mexico State University's Paul Neher, the engineer, and Erik Lehnhoff, the weed scientist, are pioneering the technology.
“It uses a low dose of electricity over an extended period of time to kill weeds and unwanted small trees,” Lehnhoff explained. “It works extremely well.”
Test plots using the system are 100 percent weed free, and the pair have also shown it can prevent bindweed from climbing power poles.
** From the Western IPM Center October 2020 newsletter **