Tumbleweed Research On The Central Coast

Do you have tumbleweed on your ranch?  Do you want to know how to get rid of it?

Elise Gornish is a UCCE Restoration Specialist who works out of UC Davis.  She will come down to the Central Coast to do a research project on how to control tumbleweed (Salsola ssp.), also known as Russian thistle.  I'll be working with her to test 3 different control methods: herbicide, seeding, and targeted grazing.  We've got one ranch already signed up and we're looking for 1 or 2 more. 

This is a 1-year project at this point.  We will fence out plots this winter.  Herbicide treatments will be done in spring 2016, seeding will be done fall 2016, and vegetation monitoring will be done spring 2017.  Targeted grazing will be done probably in late spring/early summer, depending on what time of year is determined to be most effective.

If you have tumbleweed on your ranch and you're interested in working with UC Cooperative Extension on a control study, please let me know.  You can reach me at drorao@ucanr.edu or 831-637-5346 x14.