Crop Spraying
Chicory & Herbs .
Pasture .
Have you just planted new grass? Planning a weed control programme for new grass will help you grow healthy and persistent pasture.
Maize .
Brassicas .
Growing a productive brassica crop such as kale, rape, swedes and leaf or bulb turnips can take hard work.
Weeds and pests can very quickly overrun a brassica crop. They are highly competitive and if left uncontrolled can devastate yields.
Problems such as weeds and pests can have a huge impact on productivity, not to mention the added complications of soil fertility and the weather.
Both weeds and pests can have an impact on yield from as early as sowing.
Controlling the weeds in the crop will:
- Increase the yield by up to three times, compared to crops grown in the absence of weed control
- Reduce weeds in subsequent new pasture by stopping weed seed set in the crop. Controlling pests will:
- Maximise yields as damage at the crop establishment stage is minimised
- Reduce economic loss from decreased production.
Timing of corrective measures is as important as choosing the right solution.
Some of these solutions begin long before the crop is sown, so planning is critical to achieving success.
Lucern .
A well established and maintained lucerne crop can produce significant amounts of high-quality feed for many years. The establish-ment costs for lucerne can be high. Therefore it is important to have a good plan to ensure that this investment is not wasted. Weeds left uncontrolled can prevent adequate lucerne establishment and there are many instances where farmers have had to re-sow.
As suitable herbicides that can be used in an established lucerne crop are limited, a focus on a robust annual winter clean up programme when the crop is dormant will help keep on top of weeds and maintain crop productivity.