Well spring has arrived here in Texas, the temperature has gotten warmer and the grass has begun to turn green as well as grow. Along with this one typical problem has also started growing with them: WEEDS.
Weeds can reduce both the quantity and the quality of the forages that you have. They also reduce the nutrients available that your cows can eat. With this in mind now is the time to begin planning on controlling them.
A study done by Dr. Steve Livingston an Agronomist with the Texas AgriLife extension service for every pound of weeds/acre that is eliminated there is 2 to 7 pounds of grass that is produced. Here are some tips on how to get the most use out of your herbicide.
Properly identify the weed
This is a very important step in managing any weeds that you have. The problem with this is that many people just assume what weeds they have. So they purchase the wrong product and they don’t get the most effective outcome.
The best way to go about this is to just walk around your pasture. Take an inventory of what you have and identify what weeds that you are wanting to eliminate. This is a good strategy because you can also find out just how much you are needing to apply. Some cases only require spot treatments so you could save money on only having to purchase a smaller amount.
If you are not sure what the plant is there are many resources online that you can use to identify what it is. Your local county extension office can also assist with this as well. They can provide you the information on what it is as well as ways that you can treat it.
Use the correct product
Now that you have identified what it is that you want to get rid of you can now make an informed decision on what exact herbicide it is that you will need. The San Angelo AgriLife Research Center has a list online that can tell you what products can be used to eliminate certain plants.
Purchasing the right product is a very important step if you want to get the best outcome. Many people just assume that a 2,4-D product will take care of it. While it can kill a lot it will be virtually useless against a grass type of weed.
After you have purchased the product the next step that you should do, and I can not stress this enough, is to read the product label. Reading the label will tell you the correct mixing amount to use. Usually the directions that it will give you will be based on amount per acre. If you are just spot spraying I have provided a table (to the left) that is a pretty guideline that you can follow.
Spray at the correct time
Often times people will spray for weeds at a set time, usually May 1, on the calendar. Now this can be a good general guideline it should not be the only factor.
The weather conditions should play a more important role in determining when to spray. If winter held on a little longer than usual then the plants will not be in the right stage of growth so the herbicide will be useless. Instead let the plants tell you when you should spray.
Much like when you were taking inventory you should walk around your pasture and observe how and if the weeds are beginning to grow. Spray the weeds when they are in the early stages of growth because they will soak in more of it and transfer more of it to the roots. The ideal time is to hit them when they are growing the most and before they have begun to seed. Once they have seeded then they have hit the mature stage and the herbicide will be useless.
Another point to remember is to not spray if you are currently in a drought condition. When you are in a drought the plants are only concerned with maintenance and will not soak in the herbicide that much. What you may end up with is only the top part is killed but the roots will be untouched so when those conditions ease you will end up with regrowth and would have to spray again.
Make sure the sprayer is properly set
Proper calibration of your spray rig is a crucial part in getting the most use out of your herbicide. This will ensure that the correct amount is being applied to your pasture. If you are spraying out too little then the herbicide will not have its most effective use. Spray too much and you will just be wasting money.
Before you begin mixing you should look over your equipment to make sure that it is in proper working order. While it has been in storage things like dirt dabbers may have gotten in there and plugged up anything. Inspect the nozzles, screens, lines etc. to make sure that they are clean and working properly.
Once you have checked the system then make sure that it will be putting out the correct amount. If you are not sure how to do this the Noble Research Center has instructions on how to properly set your sprayer. This information is free for residents of Texas and Oklahoma and is only a small fee for people in other states.
Review
Here is a brief summary on how to get the most out of your herbicide:
- Properly identify the weed
- Use the correct herbicide product for the weed you want
- Spray the herbicide at the correct time
- Make sure the sprayer is properly set
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