5/3/2022 - By JJ Jansen

The adage “If it ain't broke, don't fix it” sometimes can catch up to us. I was recently at a local superintendent's meeting and was visiting with a few folks when the topic of spring transition and winter weeds popped up. All of them were battling the same weeds and experiencing the same situations. I asked the simple question of what products they used this past fall and they all had pretty much the same answers. My follow-up question was what they used the previous year, and their response was no different…ok, what was used the year before that? The same products, year after year.

What's the Harm in Repetition?

I think we can all agree that once we find certain chemistries that work for pre-emergent control, we don’t want to deviate from what has brought us so much success in the past. Certain weeds are far more difficult to control and while a certain product has worked before, there is a chance that it may not be working for you now. There have been countless trials and a whole load of work put in over the last few years by some of the best Ph.D. s across the country, at various Universities, looking at this very situation. Problematic weeds have built up a resistance to certain chemistries and active ingredients over prolonged use.

Preventing Resistance

Which leaves the question, what can we do to get ahead of this and not continue to expect the same result with the same product or products? There are a few different options. For instance, you may look at moving to a completely different mode of action or active ingredient. While there are not a lot of new herbicides coming to market, there are still a lot out there from the top manufacturers that can be used during different times of the year. Or you may continue to use what you have in the past, but now add in some other products at different rates of application and balances. Tank mixing different herbicides can be effective, and although it may cost more per/acre doing this, the result is worth it with a weed-free property.

Let's Get Started!

As we approach the end of spring and start looking ahead to summer, now is the time to start building your pre-emergent application plan for the rest of the year. Do you want to spray these products or spread them with fertilizer? What have you used the last couple of years during different times of the year? These are all questions and conversations that are good to start having now, to set yourself up for the best moving forward through the year. For any questions or recommendations on what products you might need, get in touch with your local Harrell's Rep.