50 Ways - 17. Manage Crops To Compete Aggresively With Weeds

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50 Ways Farmers Can Protect Their Groundwater

Nitrogen

1. Set realistic yield goals
2. Test the soil
3. Credit other nitrogen sources
4. Apply nitrogen in the spring
5. Use nitrification inhibitors when effective

Scouting

6. Scout fields

Insecticides

7. Know the economic thresholds for insects
8. Consider insect-resistant crop varieties
9. Spot-treat insect infestations when possible
10. Know how tillage affects insects
11. Know how crop rotation affects insects
12. Adjust planting & harvesting dates to control insects
13. Conserve beneficial insects
14. Consider using biological insecticides

Herbicides

15. Know the economic thresholds for weeds
16. Fine-tune your weed program to reduce rates
17. Manage crops to compete aggressively with weeds
18. Don't increase herbicide rates with conservation tillage
19. Band herbicides and cultivate
20. Control weeds with cover crops

Pesticide Selection

21. Determine the organic-matter of your soil
22. Determine your soil's potential for leaching
23. Determine your pesticide's potential for leaching
24. Determine the soil-pesticide interaction rating
25. Consider other critical pesticide qualities

Pesticide application

26. Select the proper nozzle tips
27. Calibrate your sprayer
28. Consider direct injection
29. SPrevent backsiphoning

Pesticide disposal and storage

30. Rinse chemical containers thoroughly
31. Dispose of rinsed containers safely
32. Dispose of excess chemicals safely
33. Store agrichemicals safely
34. Prevent and clean up chemical spills
35. Construct a rinse pad

Site conditions, wells, and septic systems

36. Know your well site conditions
37. Locate your well away from contamination sources
38. Make sure your well is constructed properly
39. Seal abandoned wells
40. Make sure your septic system operates correctly

Water testing & treatment

41. Test your water routinely
42. Test your water for coliform bacteria & nitrate
43. Test you water for pesticides
44. Know the signs of contaminants in drinking water
45. Select effective water-treatment methods

46. Store livestock waste properly
47. Have old, underground fuel storage tanks removed
48. Dispose of other hazardous waste safely
49. Take precautions when irrigating
50. Take precautions when chemigating

17. Manage Crops To Compete Aggresively With Weeds
	When your plants thrive, weeds suffer. So anything you can do to help the crop compete aggressively with weeds will reduce your need for herbicides. For instance, planting crops such as soybeans in narrow rows makes them much more competitive with weeds than planting them in rows 30 or 40 inches wide. The narrow rows allow soybeans to shade their competitors earlier in the season, reducing weed growth. By providing more surface cover, narrow rows also reduce erosion.
	With oats, planting them at 3 bushels per acre, rather than 1. 5 bushels per acre, makes the crop much more competitive with weeds. However, the higher planting rate is not useful if you are planting a legume companion.
	Adjusting your planting dates can help you reduce weed damage, but you need to consider the weed. In general, if you're dealing with early-germinating weeds, such as lambsquarters or foxtail, give yourself enough time to control these weeds before planting. You may want to plant these fields last. Just keep in mind that delaying planting too long can lead to a yield loss in corn and soybeans.
	If you're dealing with late-emerging weeds, such as johnsongrass, nightshade, shattercane, or crabgrass, plant these fields first. An early planting will give your crop a head start on such weeds.