Recently, we shared why it’s important to consider the length of your residual herbicide. With the application window for pre-emergence herbicides quickly approaching, we also wanted to share how to best maximize the residual length of herbicide applications to keep fields clean of weeds from planting through harvest.

Weeds or no weeds, the risk of resistance and the need to re-apply herbicides increases when there is a break in treatment and coverage. Overlapping your residuals is the No. 1 way to extend the length of residual control. By doing so, fields will see continual control against tough-to-manage weeds.

Uncontrolled weeds can wreak havoc on fields. They have the potential to evolve to become resistant to chemistries and grow in population if allowed to go to seed. Maximizing residual length through well-timed applications will minimize this possibility.

The weather so far this year has brought record-breaking amounts of precipitation to the Midwest, and the potential of future weather events could delay getting out to prep fields even further. With another slow start to planting likely, we recommend applying full rates of residual herbicides as close to planting as possible. Doing so will help ensure products can begin working when they’re needed most to build a foundation of residual control.

Maximizing residual herbicides will also help widen your window for 2-pass herbicide programs. With the uncertainty of Mother Nature, having a strong foundation will help set you up for success despite the possibility of adverse conditions later in the season.

At the end of the day, if a field isn’t clean at planting, it’s very unlikely it will be clean come harvest. Taking these management practices into account early is the best way to ensure a quality crop this fall.

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