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Early and late season weeds “ganging up” this year

An agronomist says weeds are ganging up because of the cool, wet spring.

Jon Zuk with Winfield United tells Brownfield most of the Corn Belt is way behind on Growing Degree Day Units.

“I’m seeing a lot of our weed species that typically emerge separately from each other, like most of the time our giant ragweeds and our lambs-quarters emerge early. Then you follow that with maybe some waterhemp and some other species. They seem to be all kind of emerging here together.”

He suggests this might actually be good for weed control.

“If we could get out there and get a really good, effective burndown we might take care of a good bunch of them right off the bat.”

But if the weeds get away from a grower.

“You might have a carpet where (taller) weeds are protecting the smaller weeds just emerging below.”

Zuk says if not managed properly, farmers could “fall off the cliff” on weed control this year.