This Spring Weather is Not Going to Rush Me!

This Spring Weather is Not Going to Rush Me!

spring weeds

With temperatures barely reaching 60ºF after much warmer days the week before, I suppose you could call yesterday our dogwood winter.

That's what the old timers call a cold day in the spring when the dogwoods are in bloom.  Since I just called it that, does that mean I'm an old timer?

Perhaps.

Regardless, it was a chilly day.  I did go out long enough to find a clematis in bloom.  I don't

The I Love Dandelions Society Established 2017

The I Love Dandelions Society Established 2017

Humor weeds

I've decided to establish the I Love Dandelions Society.

What are the society's goals?

To encourage the use of the dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) as a suitable and highly desired ground cover for flower borders and vegetable garden beds.

To promote the beauty of dandelions that grow up through sidewalk cracks or establish themselves in the middle of perennial flowers.

To support those

My Methods of Weed Control

My Methods of Weed Control

Humor weeding weeds

The redbud in this picture is a weed.

This has been a marvelous growing season for weeds, has it not?

I feel like I can't turn my back on a flower border or vegetable garden bed for more than two seconds before a new weed seed germinates. There are weeds everywhere.

I clear out weeds in the morning and by nightfall they are back, and it seems as though they've brought their friends with them

Weed Control - Time of Day

Weed Control - Time of Day

weeds

It pays to follow the directions to get good weed control. The plots below show where herbicide was applied at sunrise, noon, and after sunset.  the result is obvious in the pictures.  The best time to apply is when the weeds are growing in that 10 AM to 2 PM window.  Click to enlarge.

Sunrise

Solar Noon

Sunset

Butterweed Doing Well

Butterweed Doing Well

Crop progress weeds

Looking North toward Butler T, yellow is butterweed and brown is some sort of dock.  Most corn is planted, but some fields waiting for soybeans area mess.  Still not much field work going today.

How Important is Weed Control

How Important is Weed Control

weeds

Kansas State University completed a 7 year study on weed control.  They found that yields were reduced by 50% if weeds are left uncontrolled.  The study published in No-Till Farmer says the annual cost of uncontrolled weeds is 43 Billion Dollars.  Weed control is needed even in organic situations.  Organic farmers use different techniques.

Control Marestail

Control Marestail

weeds

Marestail has gone from a nuisance weed to a serious problem because of herbicide resistance.  University of Tennessee has some suggestions for control in soybeans.