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Green and Growing
Keeping plant pests out of lawns requires care, patience
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When our lawns green up, weeds also Creeping Charlie is a low growing apply a pre-emergent chemical in the spring to preappear. plant with little round leaves and tiny vent it from getting started in the first place. Dandelions feed pollinators, meaning bees and butterflies, because these plants are rich in pollen and nectar, so some gardeners allow them to grow. However, one website stated that dandelions are purple flowers in the spring and likes moist shaded areas. Some gardeners tolerate it and others intensely dislike it. It does not contain much nectar or pollen to feed pollinators. Quack grass is another pest that spreads by the second choice for pollinators to visit. GREEN AND Creeping bellflower is a plant that will underIn other words, pollinators will land on GROWING grow a foot or more tall with lilac colored ground dandelions only if better sources of food are not available. The dandelion’s bright By Linda G. Tenneson blooms that hang downward. At first glance it appears to be nice to look at. rhizomes that can yellow color and serrated leaves stick out on our However, I made the mistake of letting it grow and grow six to lawns and most of us prefer to grow other flowers to now regret it. Creeping bellflower spreads by undereight feet feed pollinators. Digging dandelions up with a garden knife will remove their tops and slow these ground rhizomes. Even if it is mowed regularly and not allowed to bloom, it still spreads. Its wide leaves Quack grass long. Neither plants down, but unless their long tap roots are are very noticeable in a lawn. There are other kinds crabgrass nor quack grass have noticeable blooms in removed, they will return. of bellflowers from the Campanula family that the lawn; but because the width of their leaves are White clover spreads by behave better, such as Canterbury Bells. so different from the usual lawn grasses, they are considered unsightly. above ground All these plants are difficult to remove by hand runners and is means and any tiny bit of root left in the ground sometimes may grow to produce a new plant. Repeated hand grown to feed digging, covering the ground with a tarp for several livestock. It weeks to kill all vegetation or a chemical applicadoes provide tion are required to eradicate these irritants. some food for pollinators, blooming all summer long. While white clover can be removed by hand pulling the plants, the seeds will survive, so new plants must be White clover Crabgrass Individual crabgrass plants were apparently named because of their resemblance to crabs. While it technically has a flowering stalk, it is the wide spreading green leaves that are most noticeable and objectionable in a lawn. Like other weeds, it may be removed by hand and as an annual will not return in the same year, but it is less labor-intensive to If herbicides are used to eradicate them, gardeners must by law read the chemical container labels for both the correct application method and the safety directions. Gloves, long sleeves and pants; plus closed heel and toe shoes will help keep these chemicals from becoming skin irritants. Sprayed chemicals should be applied on days with no wind to prevent damage to desired plants. Linda G. Tenneson is a University of Minnesota master gardener and tree care advisor. v removed each year. Maintaining a healthy, wellwww.TheLandOnline.com fertilized lawn will help the desired grass to crowd out white clover. Creeping bellflower the cattle have eaten, and an afternoon of ruminatNothing so peaceful as a barn and cattle DEEP ROOTS, from pg. 5 d waited to be milked. I would be armed with a stiff long-bristled broom, whose handle would tower above me as I swept feed into the mangers. Time had worn the manger with a mixture of acidic ing is the only thing on the agenda. The barn is quiet and all is at rest. I usually find myself lingering in the barn during those hours, watching my cattle. silage and licking by sandpaper-like tongues. As I watch the cattle calmly lying in their deep Repairs were attempted with a smooth green epoxy bed of cornstalks, chewing their cud, eyes only half liner. opened, I breathe deeply — soaking in the peaceful CUSTOM FENCE BUILDERS In 1991, my aunt and uncle sold their herd. I was only six years old; and still, the memories are as if it were yesterday. atmosphere. I don’t believe there is a more pure form of peace than the peace which is given by the Creator to the caretaker in these quiet moments. 507-956-2657 SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA Daniel & Terese Hall 40133 - 620th Ave. Butterfield, MN 56120 As an adult, raising my own feeder cattle, I find there is nothing quite as peaceful as a barn full of cattle in the mid-afternoon. The chores are done, Whitney Nesse is a sixth-generation livestock farmer who is deeply rooted in her faith and family. She writes from her central Minnesota farm. v
Dicamba ruling provides more questions than answers
LAND MINDS, from pg. 2
ruling, as it was not part of the 2018, two-year registration for Engenia, FeXapan, and XtendiMax. As a result, this is still an option for DT soybeans,” Extension said. “Group 9 (e.g. glyphosate), Group 2 (e.g. FirstRate, Pursuit), and Group 14 (e.g. Flexstar, Cobra, Ultra Blazer) herbicides are also options to use postemergence on DT soybeans. The key with all of these products is to make applications to small weeds, targeting weeds no more than four inches in height.”
North Dakota State University Extension weed scientist Joe Ikley and agronomist Tom Peters developed recommendations for controlling certain problematic weeds. They report:
“It is safe to assume that any waterhemp is resistant to ALS-inhibiting (Group 2) herbicides. Glyphosateresistance is also present on most acres, though not all plants will be resistant. Glyphosate is most effective on waterhemp up to two leaves when applied at labeled rates with adjuvants. The best remaining options would be PPO-inhibiting (Group 14) herbicides, although resistance to this family is prevalent in Minnesota as well. Flexstar (fomesafen), Cobra, or Ultra Blazer could all be used on
small waterhemp. The addition of oil adjuvants will be important for weed control.” “Glyphosate has historically provided variable control of common lambsquarters. Harmony (thifensulfuron) will be one of our best options left for the Xtend acres.” “Glyphosate, FirstRate, and Flexstar are the best remaining options for ragweed control. We do have populations of giant and common ragweed that are resistant to glyphosate and FirstRate, so do not expect control with either product on those populations.” “It is important to remember some of the best practices for applying these alternate options. For instance, Group 14 herbicides are contact herbicides that work better with higher carrier volumes and smaller droplets. Flexstar can also have carryover issues for rotational crops like corn (10 month rotational restrictions) and sugarbeet (18 month rotational restrictions). Basagran is another herbicide option that can help control these weeds. However, we must reset weed control expectations compared to dicamba and target weeds smaller than 1 inch. Many weeds we are hoping to control may already be larger than 1 inch, so inconsistent control could be expected.” 2020 Farmfest canceled
IDEAg Group LLC, owned by highly anticipated part of our annual American Farm Bureau Federation, event, especially for the state’s ag has canceled the Farmfest farm show industry and in this important election for 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. year,” said Melissa Sanders Carroll, “We announce this decision with great disappointment but the wellbeing of our exhibitors, attendees, staff, volunteers and their families is paramount,” said AFBF President Zippy executive director, IDEAg. “Providing people a virtual opportunity to learn about and participate in the issues that directly impact their farms, lives and families is essential to us.” Duvall. “We understand the impact Next year’s show dates have been set. this has on the ag community, but simFarmfest will be Aug. 3-5, 2021. ply put, it is the right decision to make in these uncertain times.” IDEAg also presents Dakotafest which takes place in Mitchell, S.D.
Farmfest, scheduled for Aug. 4-6 in Dakotafest, which was scheduled for Redwood County, Minne., has served Aug. 18-20, has also been cancelled. It farmers and the agriculture communiis scheduled to return in 2021 from ty for 38 years. Aug. 17-19.
IDEAg management confirms that Visit Farmfest.com and Dakotafest. aspects of each show will be made com for more information about 2020 available to attendees virtually this virtual event activities as well as year, including the Farmfest political information about the 2021 shows. forums. This article was submitted by
“The Farmfest Political Forums are a IDEAg. v
U of M Extension also states, “Timely cultivation is also an option to include regardless of which herbicides have been applied. Where soybeans are planted in 30-inch rows, this can be a viable option. Research conducted at the Southern Research and Outreach Center in Waseca (2018-2019) shows that cultivation combined with a layered residual approach provides effective waterhemp control. In this study, residual herbicides were applied at planting and again 30 days after planting. Cultivation combined with a POST residual herbicide resulted in the best control of waterhemp.”
“Cultivation can also be a good option when weeds have exceeded target application heights or when emergency weed control is needed. It may not be feasible from a labor and timeliness standpoint to cultivate all your soybean acres, but targeting the weediest fields is a strategy to consider.”
But the waters became muddier when the Minnesota Department of Agriculture released this statement on June 8:
“Upon further review of state law and while awaiting guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the ruling of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals regarding dicamba products, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture will continue operating under existing pesticide program authorities. According to Minnesota law, an unregistered pesticide previously registered in the state may be used following the cancellation of the registration of the pesticide.
“At this time Minnesota farmers can use XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology (EPA Reg. No. 524-617), Engenia Herbicide (EPA Reg. No. 7969-345), and DuPont FeXapan with VaporGrip Technology (EPA Reg. No. 352-913) while following all federal and Minnesota label requirements. (Tavium Plus VaporGrip Technology (EPA Reg. No. 100-1623) was not part of the two-year federal registration and can still be used according to the label). The Department does not anticipate taking enforcement action against those who continue to appropriately use these products. This may change at any time pending additional guidance from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.”
At this stage (to paraphrase “Dirty Harry” Callahan) “Do you feel lucky, punk?” Will there be a market for soybeans grown using illegal herbicides? Does a grower have a leg to stand on if slapped with a dicamba drift complaint?
In case you thought the 2020 growing season was off to a smooth start, you might want to lawyer up.
Paul Malchow is the managing editor of The Land. He may be reached at editor@TheLandOnline.com. v
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