Preserve Soil Health with Post-Harvest Weed Control

Ahmed Nafea

Sep 25, 2024

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Concluding harvest and preparing for winter is an incredibly busy time on most farms. Preparation for the following year remains a priority for most growers after this year's crop is in the bin. A post harvest herbicide application can be a great way to start planning for the next season. 

Continue reading to learn more about why you should spray post-harvest, how to spray post-harvest, and effective herbicides to consider using.

Why Farmers Should Spray Post-Harvest 

Post-harvest herbicide application offers a way to control winter annuals, address perennial weeds, and preserve soil moisture and nutrients for future crops. 

Fall application can also improve your time management during stressful planting seasons by providing a clean crop free of weeds. By controlling pests and diseases that may still be present in the field after harvest, a fall application will prevent overwintering and reduce problems in the spring. 

Weed control will also prevent weeds from seeding and spreading throughout the field, and reduce competition for nutrients and water, which can improve the yield and quality of the next crop.


Learn 4 ways to minimize spray drift.


When to Spray Post-Harvest 

This type of spraying should be done after your crop has been harvested. If you’re spraying any glyphosate tank mixes, you’ll want to do so during the warmest part of the day when plants are most actively growing. 

Ideally, spray on warm sunny days; it’s not advisable to spray right after a frost or before rain. 

If temperatures start to cool, stop spraying two hours before sunset and two to four hours before the temperature drops below 8℃. Do not apply when there is a risk of severe fall in night temperature after use. Weeds are less likely to grow at these temperatures, and herbicide applications will be less effective.


How do you choose the right type of spray nozzle? Find out here. 


How to Spray Post-Harvest

To mitigate the risk of potentially developing herbicide-resistant weeds, it is important to utilize multiple herbicide groups. Several different post-harvest modes of action are available depending on your specific crops. Consider mixing with Glyphosate 540 Value Pick ahead of any post-harvest application regardless of crop. 

By providing active ingredients from herbicide groups 4 and 9, a tank mix with both Disha 480 and Smoke® 540 Glyphosate can help manage herbicide resistance and offer extended weed control into next spring. It will also complement Smoke 540 glyphosate alone, providing greater control on some harder to kill weeds.

If you’re spraying wheat, barley, corn, and canary seed, 2,4-D Ester 700 Value Pick is a good option to control a wide range of tough weeds like perennial sow thistle, dandelions, and narrow-leaved hawk’s beard. Note that growers in Ontario should not apply right before fall wheat or barley.

Growers in Western Canada can use Florasulam 50 Value Pick ahead of wheat, barley, and oats. This is a good herbicide to control volunteer canola, chickweed, cleavers, buckwheat, Shepherd’s purse, cow cockle and stinkweed.

Carfentrazone-ethyl 240 EC can be used ahead of many crops. It’s a good option for eastern black nightshade, purslane, kochia, volunteer canola, pigweed, and lamb’s quarters.

The active ingredient in Disha 480 is dicamba, and it can be sprayed ahead of cereals, canary seed, soybeans, field corn, sweet corn, or white beans. Disha 480 helps control a wide range of weeds including kochia, buckwheat, field bindweed, cleavers, and pasture sage. Do not apply before fall seeded crops.

A good option for growers battling narrow-leaved hawk’s beard, volunteer canola, and dandelions is Tribe 75 WDG. It can be used ahead of wheat, barley, and SU tolerant canola.

For the control of challenging weeds like Canada thistle, common groundsel, wild buckwheat, volunteer alfalfa, and perennial sow-thistle, turn to Clopyralid 360 SL VP. This is a good option to be used ahead of cereals, corn, flax, and RR or LL canola. Do not apply before pulse crops or non-clopyralid tolerant crops.

MCPA Ester 600 VP can be used before cereals, flax, grasses, and legumes. Susceptible weed range includes burdock (before the 4-leaf stage), cocklebur, plantain, Lamb’s-quarters, mustards (except Dog and Tansy), prickly lettuce, ragweeds, stinkweed, vetch, wild radish, and wild (annual) sunflower. 


Do this before you step foot in the sprayer.


Prepare for Post-Harvest Spraying with Herbicide Products from FBN®

Post-harvest application is an effective way to control winter annuals and perennial weeds, as they are more susceptible to herbicides at this time. By controlling weeds, you can help preserve soil moisture and improve soil health for the next growing season.

FBN offers a variety of effective herbicides that will help set you up for post-harvest success, including Smoke® 540 Glyphosat, 2,4-D Ester 700 Value Pick, and Disha 480.

With direct-to-farm delivery, FBN makes the online ordering process for herbicides and other key products easy and convenient. 


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Ahmed Nafea

Sep 25, 2024

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