Weed control is most often a “necessary evil.” Most of the time this task is not particularly easy but it is not impossible.

Identifying the weed is essential to select the correct herbicide. Knowing when to apply the herbicide is also important. Some herbicides do kill all of the vegetation present while others will only control broadleaf weeds and then others will control grasses. Some weeds are easily controlled when the plants are nearly emerged before they reach the four-leaf stage. Yet others especially perennials, are difficult to control until they reach the reproductive stage.

One important thing to remember is that if weeds never get established, they can’t overtake and overwhelm management practices. Weeds do compete with your turf grass, forages, and wheat/oat crops for any available soil moisture and nutrients.

Spending time with your landscape or crop is just something that must be done. Observing the crop emergence, stand density, growth stage, and available soil moisture and insect/disease pests’ presence is essential. Rotating crops as well as herbicide chemistry is also advised.

Don’t wait until weeds are too large or allow resistant weeds to remain in the field/landscape and go to seed. Extension specialists now say that heavy weed infestations can result in up to 40% yield loss in wheat. For many the definition of a weed is a plant out of place.