ON MANY NO-TILL farms, perennial weeds are hard to control, as tillage is not an option to take care of escapes from in-season weed control. And in more southern areas with late frosts, annuals may escape and need to be controlled after harvest to ensure they don’t go to seed.

Thus, no-tillers may want to consider adding another application of herbicides in the fall to control these perennial and annual weeds.

In fall weed control passes after harvest, you may also be able to use different modes of action than those available to you in season. Anytime you can add another mode of action you’re generally improving weed management and reducing the chances of herbicide resistance on your farm.

Get in the Field

Scout your fields as soon as you can before, during and after harvest so you can identify weed species and select an appropriate herbicide package to control them with a post- harvest application.

Begin applying herbicides to those fields as soon as possible to take advantage of more active plant-growing conditions. If possible, select a herbicide mode of action that isn’t available to you in your in-season weed program.

Taking advantage of more active growing conditions should help to ensure weeds are growing at an adequate pace, and that herbicides are translocated to their roots. Even if some plants aren’t killed, they still may be weakened enough that winter weather will finish them off.

FALL INTO ACTION. In this photo from Purdue University Extension, fall applications of…