Spring Weed Control

 The ample winter moisture means great things for this year’s crops given that there should be plenty of water. That said, another crop that thrives on these conditions is …weeds and they can represent a problem for farmers trying to use their equipment to help fight the battle. Several species of summer annual weeds have emerged and are making significant growth. Many fields where no herbicide or tillage operation has occurred can be described as “woolly” Here’s U of I Extension Weed Scientist, Aaron Hager. “Some of the modern implements that farmers use now, especially if they’re in a single pass tillage operation prior to planting, may not always be quite as effective on some of these very large weeds. For example, we’ve heard many reports of some of the dense mats of some of the winter annual species actually balling up in a field cultivator. If the tillage operation doesn’t completely sever the stem from the roots many times what the plants do is they tend to recover. You may see a common ragweed for example,  that has a stem with a significant bend to it or a crook in the stem, but yet is able to right itself and continue growing. These are ones that can present some very difficult challenges in terms of trying to control them with any herbicides that are used then after the crop has emerged.”