BETTER WEED MANAGEMENT FOR A BETTER NIGHT’S SLEEP

Weed management begins on Day 1 of the new growing season, and if weeds are under control, said Kevin Carlson, Federated’s agronomy sales manager, “everyone sleeps better.”

“The best time to control the weed is before it emerges,” said Carlson. Translation: apply pre-emerge herbicides. “Regardless of the traits that are in the seed, it all starts with good pre-emerge weed control that has effective sites of action in the tank,” he added.

At a minimum, every tank mix should include at least one (preferably more) effective site of action that targets the resistant or virulent weed. “You need to determine the type of resistance you are dealing with,” said Carlson, and find the most effective site(s) of action.

“Effective site of action” is the herbicide category or class that is still known to be effective in controlling a specific weed, such as waterhemp. For example, glyphosate is not effective post applied as a site of action, but glufosinate (e.g., Liberty® or Interline™) would be an effective site of action post emerge for waterhemp in soybeans and corn.

“Once you get a field or farm planted, make the phone call for application,” said Carlson, if Federated does your custom services. Whether custom or on your own, don’t wait to spray for weeds.

Of course, “weather is always the monkey wrench in planning, but we just plan around it,” said Carlson, and that’s why “management is more important than ever.”

“It’s a complicated and challenging issue and it’s not just us; it’s worldwide,” Carlson said, sharing a recent conversation with a grower in the U.K. “Their challenges are no different than ours; different weeds, but the same problems.”

Don’t lose sleep over weeds in 2020. Make a plan for weed management. Be proactive. Contact your Federated Agronomist today.