Spraying You With Questions
While donning my personal protective equipment (PPE) in preparation for spraying weeds this past weekend, I wondered about your spraying season. Are your application requests off the hook, slower than usual, or running smoothly?
Last week’s Pulse of the Market asked about the height of your grower-customers corn, and 70 percent of those that responded said most of their crop was higher than “knee high on the 4th of July.” That indicates that spraying for weeds in corn — and other crops — is well underway in many areas.
That brings on a slew of questions: Do you have enough herbicide on hand? What weeds are most prevalent in your grower-customers’ fields, and have there been any surprises? Is resistance a concern? Are you applying via ground machines, aerially, or a combination of both?
Of course, as always, there are areas where a wet spring means late-planted crops. Weeds, as you well know, get a great start in that situation and become even more competitive with crops for essential nutrients. Did you put down residuals in those areas? If not, are the weeds worse than in normal seasons, and how are you dealing with them?
Another factor is the economics of weed and other pest control. Is today’s economy affecting your grower-customers spray decisions?
That’s a lot of questions, and I’m sure there’s a variety of answers out there that I’d love to hear. Just click below to share your story. And even if you choose to be anonymous, please indicate what state and even what area of the state you’re in (Ex: northeast Iowa), it really helps us to get the big picture.