From the Field Perspective
We all know how up, down and sideways this year has been and the fields are no different. I have seen fields that break my heart to scout and fields that I’m genuinely excited for how much potential they have for great yields. It’s important to remember that a field tends to look drastically different driving by on the road compared to the reality of being ground level and on the acre.
Wheat and canola fields are where we’re seeing the most variability within individual fields. Most fields have many different stages and yield potential within the same acre. One field may have bolting and blooming canola with so much potential, while three feet away there may be canola at cotyledon or three-leaf stage trying to survive in a sandy patch of soil.
That being said it’s not all gloom and doom, we’ve been on some truly impressive small grain and canola fields in the last couple of weeks! Field condition varies so much, even within a few miles.
Row crops are where we are seeing the most potential at this point; soybeans and corn are progressing quickly and overall healthy at this point. Warm weather and recent rains are the soybean and corn happy place! It’s important to remember that with this warm weather these crops are moving quickly and timing is key when it comes to weed control.
Similar to the crops themselves, many of the weeds took their sweet time to emerge in the dry conditions. We are now seeing many cases of a second flush of early weeds and our mid-summer weeds beginning to emerge.
Canada thistle, dandelion, flixweed, and curly dock were common weeds found early in the season. Many of these weeds are becoming very large and beginning to flower or go to seed.
Kochia and common lambsquarter are a usual nuisance in our geography and while you may not see them popping up through the canopy of wheat or canola, I can assure you that they are still there. Patches of heavy emergence are quickly turning into ground cover conditions; in many cases we have seen multiple stages within the same field as a new flush of weeds begins to emerge.
Redroot pigweed, green foxtail, prostrate knotweed, and common mallow have been late to our weed lineup this year; but boy are they here and making up for lost time! Many fields with patches and ground cover of redroot pigweed and green foxtail in the 0-2’’ and 2-4’’ range.
Even in a dry year weed control is important, don’t allow troublesome weeds to get out of hand and go to seed. You will thank yourself in the coming years for weed control decisions made today.
As always, we are here to help! Reach out to our team with any questions or concerns, we are here to help in any way that we can.
Kristine Rau