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Rolla, ND | I would agree with you that there is less spraying this year. I'm not totally sure, but I think two things are probably the main reasons.
The relatively hot, dry weather is causing more rapid maturity, guys are thinking they won't save any time spraying.
Secondly, large unpaid bills at the applicators office make guys unwilling to call again for more spraying. Accounts receivable are up, way up, at most farm suppliers in this area.
Main reason for recommending against spraying is that the field is for seed production.
If the field has a bunch of kochia that is where the spraying seems to really shine. Kochia in a swath never does seem to cure and the Roundup application onto growing kochia seems to make the seed nonviable. I see a lot less kochia after the Roundup as compared to swathing.
Everything has a risk, I think guys are thinking the swath isn't as risky this year since we seem to be in a dry spell.
Another thing is that with all the weeds that slid through the cultivators in the mud last spring, people didn't play with reduced rates of herbicides as much, I know I didn't. It's actually a rare field that has visible canada thistle this fall. One grower called me the other day and the thistle was small and the field so dry that in the afternoon the thistle was actually bent over looking like it was dying. I've seen a lot of dying buckwheat too. So the weed pressure in the fields, despite the every present kochia, is not as bad as other years when we've had a lot more rain during the summer.
Did you use up some Devils Lake water this summer? We've sure pumped a lot compared to last year when we only turned on the pivot to move it out of our way. Corn sure looks nice. Based on the sounds there must be a bunch of deer that like it too.
Marv | |
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Swathing before harvesting??
