1. The cost benefit case for pesticide free.
Holistic Vegetation
Management

2. University of Colorado Boulder
Housing Facilities Services
Five years and counting – no chemical pesticides used in any turf grass

3. The Weedtechnics Experiment
Mechanical removal of weeds previously the only option as the
University of Colorado, Boulder has a strict no-pesticide use
policy.

4. The Weedtechnics Experiment
Manual weed removal rate tested May 1, 2015
18 labor hours to treat 25,386 ft2
Hand Production Rate: 1,410 ft2/hour

5. We used the SW700 unit for this
experiment due to its
maneuverability and ease of
use.
The treatment fluid is a
combination of Saturated Steam
and Boiling Water heated to
210-215 F (98-102 C).
The Weedtechnics Experiment

6. Examples of treatment panels include:
● segmental paved areas
● concrete paved areas
● bark mulched beds
● gravel mulched beds
● pebble mulched beds
● mulched tree circles
The Weedtechnics Experiment

7. CU Test Parameters:
105,000 ft2 (2.4 acres) of landscape beds
Initial Presentation Levels Documented
Timed the Application of the SW700 in each
Landscape Bed
Weedtechnics Experiment begins June 13, 2016

8. June 29, 2016
September 7, 2016After 2 Treatments

9. June 29, 2016
September 7, 2016After 2 Treatments

10. Treatment on June 13, 2016 Result on June 15th, 2016
After 2 Days!

11. After 3 treatments,
September 9th, 2016
Before 2nd treatment,
September 9th, 2016

12. June 29th, 2016
September 7, 2016
After 1 Treatment

13. What We Learned
During our 60 day test period spanning from
June 13, 2016 to August 12, 2016
114 labor hours, over 30 working days, where needed
to maintain a presentation standard of 1 ( < 5% weed cover, < 1” in
height)
2,297 ft2 per hour average with SW700
versus
1,410 ft2 per hour average by Hand

14. 128 specific test panels were treated in the test area
To maintain a Level 1 presentation standard:
32 panels required only One treatment
70 panels required Two treatments
26 panels required Three treatments
Resulting in:
261,877 ft2 total area treated (6.0 acres)
What We Learned

15. Cumulative Benefit: Faster, better, stronger!
Efficiency Increase:
2,960 ft2/ hour of machine run time - 1st 15 days of treatment
4,710 ft2/ hour of machine run time - 2nd 15 days of treatment
= 59% increase in productivity from 1st to 2nd treatment
What We Learned

16. The Real Measure of
Effectiveness:
By experiment’s end the
overwhelming majority of
test beds were at a
Presentation Standard of 1
Presentation
Standard

17. The process
• Establishing outcomes and presentation standards required;
• Quantification of assets and areas to be managed;
• Inventory of weed species, asset types, terrains and resources;
• Assessment of techniques and apparatus appropriate to achieve the
outcomes;
• Skills gap analysis to develop training requirements;
• Design of weed management program; and
• Procurement of appropriate SW apparatus
• Implementation of training, weed management cycle, reporting and
feedback loop.

18. Register your interest in CU Boulder Pesticide free landscape workshops.
Visit www.weedtechnics.com/workshop/