Questions guide farmers’ 2024 weed management plans

While purchasing herbicides, crop seed, and other inputs take priority after harvest, consider asking yourself the following questions to better prepare your operation for managing weeds next season.

How was my weed management plan this year?

If weed management this year was poor, the plan should change for next season. If weed management this year was excellent, the plan should still change for next season. The reason being that overreliance on the same weed management plan that provides excellent control will eventually select for weeds that can survive those controls (for example, spraying only glyphosate in glyphosate-tolerant crops year after year).

However, if weed management was poor, consider implementing tactics that were not included this year. Inclusion of a preemergence herbicide, a residual herbicide mixed with a postemergence herbicide, or implementing non-herbicide weed control are things that may have been left out of the plan in 2023 but should be included in your plan for the 2024 season.

Where were the weedy fields?

Recording where the weedy fields are located helps know which fields will likely need to receive the most intensive weed management plan. These fields will also likely need to be scouted regularly to ensure control tactics are being executed in a timely manner.

What weed species were present?

Knowing what weed species were present will help with purchasing the correct herbicide, pre- and postemergence. For example, if a field was inhabited by kochia, purchasing 2,4-D and glyphosate to treat that field will probably result in unsatisfactory control. Weed management should be treated on a field-to-field basis, as purchasing 2,4-D and glyphosate to treat a field inhabited with yellow foxtail and velvetleaf would likely result in satisfactory control.

Can non-herbicide weed management easily be implemented?

While herbicides are the most effective weed management tools, implementing non-herbicide weed control tactics can provide additional control and reduce the selection pressure for herbicide-resistant weeds. Easily implemented tactics include tillage (prescription tillage or adopting no-till), row spacing (for example, drill-planted soybean), mowing ditches and fence lines, and hand weeding small, isolated patches.