05-30-2007, 10:10 AM
Carrie R. was asking on the general forum about controlling sugar cane volunteers in old cane ag land. I checked with my trusty Permacopia volumes and found that Ko (with a macron [kahako] above the "o" for an extended vowel sound) is actually an indigenous species through Polynesian introduction. I didn't know that.
Carey commented on the possibility that chips of the stalk resulting from using a weedwhacker to cut the cane down might spread and sprout, exacerbating the situation. Here's what the Permacopia Book I says about sugar cane: "Persistent, but apparently not naturalized. Underground stems can be invasive. A solid 2' (60cm) deep barrier may contain KO roots, but the plant can still expand by leaning & rooting."
It's described as a rhizomatic clumper, meaning that it sends out root runners from whence sprouts new growth. It's grown from seeds for breeding purposes and appears to require some care to germinate, so seeds may not be a problem. More to Carey's point, it says about propogation from setts, stem pieces, that the best way to grow from cuttings is to take 1' sections from the top 1/3 of stalk with 2-3 budded nodes. They are sprouted by burying in 1" to 2" of soil, mulching and watering. Sprouting usually occurs in 7-12 days.
The point of all this is to say that if you can avoid these growing situations, you might be able to control the cane. Watch out for the possibility of sprouting any of those buds. I think you should be able to use a weedwhacker or brushcutter as long as you pick up all budded stalk sections.
There were other cultivars of cane that were planted by the agrobiz that were supposedly more disease resistant. I didn't read anywhere that they grow differently than ko.
Carey commented on the possibility that chips of the stalk resulting from using a weedwhacker to cut the cane down might spread and sprout, exacerbating the situation. Here's what the Permacopia Book I says about sugar cane: "Persistent, but apparently not naturalized. Underground stems can be invasive. A solid 2' (60cm) deep barrier may contain KO roots, but the plant can still expand by leaning & rooting."
It's described as a rhizomatic clumper, meaning that it sends out root runners from whence sprouts new growth. It's grown from seeds for breeding purposes and appears to require some care to germinate, so seeds may not be a problem. More to Carey's point, it says about propogation from setts, stem pieces, that the best way to grow from cuttings is to take 1' sections from the top 1/3 of stalk with 2-3 budded nodes. They are sprouted by burying in 1" to 2" of soil, mulching and watering. Sprouting usually occurs in 7-12 days.
The point of all this is to say that if you can avoid these growing situations, you might be able to control the cane. Watch out for the possibility of sprouting any of those buds. I think you should be able to use a weedwhacker or brushcutter as long as you pick up all budded stalk sections.
There were other cultivars of cane that were planted by the agrobiz that were supposedly more disease resistant. I didn't read anywhere that they grow differently than ko.