Page 75 - Spring2018

see more farmers using the systems now. However, the vacuum option Like the bug vacuums, heat systems, when
is due for a fresh look to address a host of pests. In the past thirty years, used properly, pose little to no danger to pol-
engineering and materials have come a long way, making it possible to linators and other beneficial insects, because
design lighter, more efficient and more powerful systems. When the Cali- the timing of their use can be keyed to when
fornia Strawberry Commission reviewed different bug vacuum systems in pests are active but pollinators are not. It helps
2013-2014, they found “a wide variation in bug vacuum construction and that most pollinators do not live in and on the
operations, with a corresponding variation in efficiency.” With research plants they pollinate but in nearby habitats that
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and technology improvements, bug vacuums are making a comeback. are unaffected by the heat systems. Heat sys-
What was once a promising but perhaps a-bit-too-soon technology may tems also have other potential benefits beyond
become a prime player in organic pest control in the coming decades, pest control, such as helping to dissipate excess
and not just for strawberries but for other crops as well. moisture and protecting crops from a wide range
of plant diseases and other problems.
HEATING THINGS UP Currently, heat systems are used primar-
The problem of bee colony collapse has received a lot of attention in ily for cane and trellised orchard crops such
the past few years. Some forward-thinking beekeepers have developed as grapes, berries and cherries. Will they be
low-tech solutions that help protect their colonies. These work by creating used for other plants? Perhaps yes, although the
a super-heated entry area that kills off mites and other invaders before systems may be cost-prohibitive for small-scale
they can enter the ac- growers. In some areas,
tual beehives and create they are available for rent.
havoc within. This same Another strategy is for a
principle—creating areas group of smaller growers
of increased heat to con- in a given area to band
trol pillaging pests—also together to purchase a
has incredible potential heat system, reducing the
for a number of crops. cost immensely for each
A Chilean farmer, member farm. Moreover,
Florencio Lazo, original- because the heat sys-
ly invented the heat ap- tems have accrued a fair
proach and sold the rights amount of independent
to his work to Agrother- research showing their
mal Systems, which benefits for orchards, ber-
now offers heat systems ries and similar crops,
around the world, mar- Photo credit: Agrothermal Systems they do not represent a
keted under the Thermaculture name. blind investment in a “we-hope-this-works”
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The systems heat air to high temperatures—one hundred and sixty technology.
to two hundred degrees—and use powerful, high-efficiency fans to blow
this air through tall plants such as grapes and berries. Thermaculture HEATING WEEDS
causes no harm to the plants but kills off large swaths of pests who can’t Pests don’t like heat and neither do weeds.
take the heat. In fact, field studies show that not only do the systems Thus, another very effective approach is to use
not harm plants, but they can improve the plants’ yield, both in terms heat to control weeds. Many organic growers
of quantity and nutrient quality. For example, a number of studies show already use flame weeders, which briefly pass
improved phenolic and antioxidant levels and increased BRIX levels. 9 flame over the weeds just enough to kill the
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Using Thermaculture, New Zealand vintner Mike Lane reported above-ground portion of the weed.
reducing pest control costs by two-thirds and being able to control “all Steam weeding is another option and has
pest issues except for powdery mildew, a fungus that required about 50 a number of advantages over flame weeding.
percent of the usual sulfur treatments when combine[d] with Therma- An engineer working with the steam system
culture.” Moreover, Thermaculture enhanced yield by 13 percent per explains that “steam is about [ten] times more
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bunch and increased average bunch weights by 19 percent, allowing the efficient at heat transfer than flame…because
Pinot Noir winemaker to not only “save money on costs but [achieve] water causes the heat to fall onto the weeds
increased production per hectare as well.” 10 when heat just naturally wants to rise.” This
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SPRING 2018 Wise Traditions 73