Mechanical cultivation for weeds

[YesDeere]

But these guys are right. Given the option I would like more power. But this is a family piece

 

[firefighter9208]

I would try to find a Farmall 100, 130, or 140. The cost a little more, but have a water pump. The Super A doesn't. They basically (the A and Super A) "percolate" like a coffee pot to cool. I know that's oversimplifying it .

Chris

 

[wolc123]

For smaller acreage, I have used a Farmall Cub for about the last 15 years, and a John Deere M prior to that. Each has advantages. The M was in-line and you sight straight down the hood as you follow the row, allowing for higher speed. Also more power than the Cub (probably at least as much or a little more than the Farmall A). The off-set "cultivation" feature of a Farmall A and Cub allow you to get a little closer to young plants, but make for a stiff neck after long hours of work. Since the patent has expired on Roundup (gly), knock of brands have gotten so cheap that it dont make a hole lot of financial sense to not use some of that stuff these days. I still cultivate my field corn, but just once, and as I do it at about 1 ft height, I spray the rows only with gly, which I bought this year for $11/gallon. I would say my field corn yield has roughly doubled since doing this compared to prior years when I cultivated 3X and did not spray. I am also only using 1/3 the fuel for weed control, which makes farming a lot more profitable these days. I am still cultivating sweetcorn 3-4 times, using the Cub, since there is not much out there yet in HT varieties.

 

[Baby Grand]

<snip> ... Since the patent has expired on Roundup (gly), knock of brands have gotten so cheap that it dont make a hole lot of financial sense to not use some of that stuff these days. I still cultivate my field corn, but just once, and as I do it at about 1 ft height, I spray the rows only with gly, which I bought this year for $11/gallon. I would say my field corn yield has roughly doubled since doing this compared to prior years when I cultivated 3X and did not spray. I am also only using 1/3 the fuel for weed control, which makes farming a lot more profitable these days. I am still cultivating sweetcorn 3-4 times, using the Cub, since there is not much out there yet in HT varieties.

What happens when Roundup resistant weeds start gaining traction? Is there something else in the pipeline to replace it? With all this acreage relying on Roundup to yield, it just makes me a little uneasy is all. Sort of why I'm very interested in finding out how use the weeds as green manure, rather than view them as a pest. I understand that under the present economic conditions it may not be the most sensible way to farm, but it never hurts to be prepared. Economic stories have a way of changing.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

The best time to treat for weeds is BEFORE you plant a crop. There are quite a few residual pre-emerge products available that greatly reduce the volume and types of weeds that'll show up later down the road. Before the advent of "RoundUp Ready" corn/soy beans, that was the number one way of treating for weeds. Now days, with glyphosate tolerant weeds beginning to show up, a good pre emerge treatment is coming back into vogue. If you watch closely, MOST of the "new" pre-emerge chemicals being used now are the very same ones that were popular BEFORE "RoundUp Ready" crops became all the rage. (Or combinations of 2 or more older formulations) Pre's are once again being used in many instances, even with RoundUp Ready crops, due largely to the numbers of RR tolerant weeds.

On the subject of "RoundUp Ready" crops, check into Liberty Link corn. I'm planting much of next years acreage with LL.

There are a lot of good post emerge weed control products (besides RoundUp) out there too, but MOST require a certain amount of product knowledge. They USUALLY treat for specific weeds. (or at the very least, PERFORM best on a short list of specific weeds) You have to know what you're battling, as well as knowing how to apply them in a manner that won't "ding" the crop in the process.

I've had my best results by using an effective pre applied with my glyphosate burn down (prior to no tilling crop), then a full rate application of RoundUp and a tank mix partner targeting the short list of RoundUp tolerant weeds common to this area, after crop is up (in RR crops of course) ,IN A HEALTHY STAND OF CORN/BEANS.... A good healthy crop will create a full crop canopy, cutting off sunlight to emerging weeds. If weeds are controlled in the initial stages of crop growth, there won't be much weed pressure once the crop is well developed.

Worth mentioning is, many of the GOOD weed control products will be "restricted use" chemicals. You'll have to get proper certification to buy and/or use them. Not THAT difficult, but yet another hoop the government makes us jump through.... RoundUp is NOT (yet) a restricted use product (but give the EPA time.... )

Several of the varieties of RoundUp offer warranties. Monsanto will pick up part to ALL of the cost of product on second application if first (used under EXACT labeled directions) proves to be insufficient. That can reduce cost per acre significantly. The ONLY catch is, you have to be a "real" farmer and not doing food plots, ect....

Depending on who's numbers you look at, somewhere between 95% and 98% of the cash corn grown in the US employs chemical weed control of some sort. BT/GMO corn represents a large portion of chemically treated corn, but not ALL. Field crops were using chemical weed control before anyone had a clue "BT" crops were even possible. There is a market for specialty "organic" grain crops, but it is somewhat limited in demand. Organic corn gets a higher price, but AT a higher price. Mechanical weed control is expensive when done on a large scale, as well as the fact most TRUE organic corn has lower yields than it's non organic counterpart. It just isn't nearly as profitable in MOST cases. (The term "organic" gets tossed around, but the term is NOT used in it's proper context in most cases.)

Chemical weed control products were commonly used for 35+ years before RoundUp Ready crop science was heard of. RR crops have been on the market about 20 years now, and it looks like their "glory days" are fading away to an extent. Glyphosate tolerant crops were so simple and so inexpensive to grow, the technology took the industry by storm. They were the meal ticket for most farmers after the thrashing we took in the 1980's. Until the next "miracle" weed control technology comes along, looks like we may be forced to depend somewhat on the best of the technology of '60's, '70's, and '80's again.

Take it from an old farmer who spent WAY too many days in the sun riding a tractor, cultivating corn.....It CAN be done, but spraying is a FAR more productive, far less expensive, less time consuming method.

 

[Duffster]

I am still cultivating sweetcorn 3-4 times, using the Cub, since there is not much out there yet in HT varieties.

Many of the herbicides used for field corn will work for sweet corn. You don't have to ave a GE-HT(roundup ready) variety in order to spray it.

 

[Duffster]

It is very common here to spray a half rate of Lumax before the corn comes up or shortly there after and then come back with Round Up and other things at a rate that is needed later.It's possible that the second is not needed at all. Two passes is cheaper then the full rate Lumax up front and you get 2 chances at getting them.

We spray and cultivate. Cultivation has its advantages beyond weed control. Especially in dry years.

 

[Duffster]

Not wanting to spray 10 acres of row crops for weeds every year, is getting a dedicated cultivator like a Farmall Cub, or Model A, or 140 or Super C still a realistic method of weed control? Or is using a high wheeled tractor and cultivators a technology that is past it's time?

Thanks for the input.

Not knowing what you have for tractors otherwise I wouldn't buy a dedicated cultivating tractor. A front or rear mounted cultivator would be my pick.

 

[JoeBiscuit]

Not knowing what you have for tractors otherwise I wouldn't buy a dedicated cultivating tractor. A front or rear mounted cultivator would be my pick.

Duff,

I'm not super excited to buy a tractor either, but I've only got a JD 4400 and 2210 on 20 acres. Both tractors have severe clearance limitations and the Turfs on the 4400 make for WIDE rows. I'm probably looking for a vintage setup. JD 50, Farmall 130 or the like. Those type machines seem to be pretty reasonable.

Thanks,

 

[JoeBiscuit]

I still cultivate my field corn, but just once, and as I do it at about 1 ft height, I spray the rows only with gly, which I bought this year for $11/gallon. I would say my field corn yield has roughly doubled since doing this compared to prior years when I cultivated 3X and did not spray. I am also only using 1/3 the fuel for weed control, which makes farming a lot more profitable these days. I am still cultivating sweetcorn 3-4 times, using the Cub, since there is not much out there yet in HT varieties.

Wolc,

Thanks for the note. Up until now, I've really only planted 1/2 acres of sweet corn from seed catalogs and maybe the same in field corn that my neighbor generously gives me. I want to get away from buying seed every year and go back to saving my own seed corn, which I think means no HT or BT varieties. It's illegal and low production to save HT seed correct?

That said, while non HT production may be lower do you think seed cost savings wash away additional fuel costs required for 3-4x cultivation?

Thanks,

Joe