Cultivator question?

Thanks,
Dan

Out here, a lot of the ground is gravity irrigated. Gotta have the ditches.

Allan

Why buy two implements?

I'd just find me an old 6-row Lilliston roller; then, when it comes time to ditch, change out the back duckfeet for a set of 7" or 9" shovels. 7 or 14 bolts (depending on the shovel type) and you are right back in the field.

Never was too wild about the vibrashanks or danish tines; can't make 'em dig in certain conditions.

Allan

Will that sprayer ditch his corn so that he can irrigate?

I'm just going by his post.

Allan

Dan

Are you doing chemicals at all? If you plan 3 cultivations with no chemicals, then you'll want rolling shields for the first time through the tiny plants.

--->Paul

Thanks,
Dan

The NE panhandle is where I am at. Where are you located?

I disagree with your advisor on the "spray before the corn is 30" tall" thing.

You'll bend it over like a rubber band. Spray it early (very early) at about the 5 to 7" stage.

And, don't forget your wormer on the corn on corn ground.

Allan

Dan

I always figured if the weeds were getting 2" tall, it was getting way, way late and tried to spray about the second week in June after bean planting and just prior to side dressing (if that is how the year played out).

Also, you will be needing that ground moisture for the corn, and it's a good idea to stop the weeds very early on.

I bent a crop over one year and that is not a pretty thing to watch; ended up cutting it for silage that fall.

Do you have a hoe? As you already undoubtly know, some years you need it to keep that blowing sand/dirt from cutting the corn off at the root.

Anyway, if ya hit the weeds early, it will hold them back till you can get that culitvator in the ground when the corn is about 8 to 10" tall.

Then, at around the last week in June, it is time to go right back in with your culivator/ditchers again and you've outrun the little devils 'cause the crop will cover just as soon as you give it that first drink on the 4th.

I envy you and what you are doing; you folks come from damned good stock down there! Now, if you can figure out how to stop the darned hail! :>)

I farmed up on the Flats; I now live south of Chadron just down the hill north of the Job Corp.

Allan

On the spraying part. I've done the RR corn, but I also plant RR beans. IF this land is going into a crop rotation, the use of Dual (I'm with paul, in southern MN, it's a hit and miss if it works) is adding another mode of chemical control to minimize the weed resistance factor.

Also, coming after alfalfa, it's now a weed and the pressure in the field will come early. Using the pre-emerge will give you a bit longer window of opportunity for spraying Roundup. Pre emerge will have a residual. In regard to the cultivating after a pre emerge taking out the effectiveness, not quite true. Tests have proven that many of us do not do a good job of incorporation for the pre emerge and a "light scratching" will improve the efectiveness of the pre emerge. Not always the case, but sometimes.

What I have done is use a half rate of Harness (basically same type of pre emerge control in corn) and use round-up as a broadleaf control spray with a kicker for grass escape. I don't do this farm wide, only on my high pressure weed fields. I'm following up on my fathers program that was penny pinched for weed control in soybeans (which was very poor). 3 years max in Round-up then onto other modes on a year by year basis.

I used to be in commercial fert/herb and have talked with many reps that gave a more truthfull story on what and what not. Things they couldn't tell the consumer but did us. One thing that was said by most for incorporating pre emerge. " Put a 12' disk behind a 120 HP tractor, 12 yr old kid on the seat, and tell him to get the field done as fast as he could!!!!" For you best job. Incorporated chemicals are best when concentrated in the top 2" of soil. Rule of thumb dig/work 4" for best results. If moisture is a problem (all pre emerges require ground moisture to be fully activated) a double incorporation will greatly increase the effectiveness over single.

Hope this helps.

Bruce

On a side note tho. At 6 weeks most of the chemicals have gone thru their life expectancy with the thoughts of crop shading supressing weed growth.

Thanks for the input,
Dan

However, you are paying a very large royalty bonus for the RR corn. You need to be using that technology if you are paying for it.

A pre-emerge is good - but then you should not need the cultivator at all.

If you put down a pre-emerge & cultivate, use conventional corn & forget the Roundup - you can clean up small escape patches much cheaper with conventional sprays in corn.

I've had poor luck with Dual, it requires the right weather to activate.

In general, RR corn is for the really big operators who hire cheap labor to spray & don't have time to crop scout all their acres - 'the big white-wash approach' to weeds. It is cheaper to manage your 100 acres properly & use cheaper chemicals to manage weed situations as they occur than to go the RR route. (RR-technology makes more sense on soybean crops - not so much on corn.)

I think you'd get real good weed control forgetting the RR & possibly adding a 2,4D/ dicomba spray if needed:

Or, forget the other sprays, disking, & cultivator entirely, and go with just Roundup - plan on 2 applications. Use the technology if you are paying the tech fee for crying out loud! :) (*Coming out of alfalfa you might need a burndown if you have a real serious grass issue.)

Doing all of it combined seems way overkill? I do not understand that approach at all.

--->Paul

Dan