Category: Weeders of the West
Watch out for Palmer amaranth in the Pacific Northwest
As I write this article, the 2022 cropping season is in full swing in the Treasure Valley of southwestern Idaho and eastern Oregon. Onions have…
Looking Critically at Harvest Weed Seed Control: What Benefits Can be Realized in PNW Dryland Cropping Systems?
Harvest weed seed control has been a popular topic at grower’s meetings this winter and a few early adopters in the PNW are experimenting with…
New Herbicide Registration for Kentucky Bluegrass Seed Production in Oregon
For the 2022 growing season, Kentucky bluegrass (KBG) seed growers in Oregon will have access to sulfosulfuron (Outrider, from Valent USA) through a recently approved…
Herbicide Resistance is for the Weak: A Message From Common Lambsquarters
Whether you drive north, south, east, or west, chances are that you will see quite a number of fields infested with common lambsquarters. This weed…
Understanding Weed Competition Below Ground
In the semi-arid region of inland Pacific Northwest (PNW), Russian thistle (Salsola tragus), kochia (Bassia scoparia), and prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola) are three important weed…
I Can’t Say This Enough!
When it comes to delaying the development of herbicide resistance in weeds, herbicide mixing and rotation are critical. In an earlier blog post titled, “Two…
Reminders for Spring Postemergence Herbicide Applications in Wheat for Grass Weed Control
With flooding rains occurring and snow falling in some areas of our region this week, it may be difficult to envision making spring postemergence herbicide…
Tiafenacil, A New Herbicide in Grapes
Tiafenacil (Gamma, Helm Agro) is now labeled in wine grapes in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Tiafenacil is a non-selective postemergence herbicide controlling broadleaves and grasses.…
Effects of Herbicide-Resistant Weeds in a Warming Planet
We are going to discuss herbicide resistance in weeds yet again, but with a slight twist! Have you wondered what would be the combined effects…
Managing Dry Fallow on Idle Irrigated Cropland
As drought persists across the west, irrigation water shortages and restrictions continue to expand. Parts of Central Oregon and the Klamath Basin were particularly heavily…
Insights Into Alternative Herbicides to Glyphosate
Glyphosate is the most widely used post-emergence herbicide in the region for several reasons. Glyphosate is non-selective. This means it can be used to control…
The Atrocious Summer 2021 Growing Season in the Treasure Valley of Eastern Oregon and Southwest Idaho
After I thought long and hard about what to write about this week, I settled on the 2021 cropping season in the Treasure Valley of…
Screening Weeds for Herbicide Resistance, An Underutilized Resource
We have the technology… so let us quit spraying and praying! “Do you have herbicide resistant weeds in your fields?” This is a question I…
Mechanical Weed Control Under the Vine
Vineyard floor management can be divided into two areas, the area under the vine and the area between the rows. Cover crops are often planted…
Dry Weather & Herbicide Carryover Concerns
The memories of 2020 would remain with us for years to come. Most of us couldn’t wait for 2020 to come to an end. We…
Occasional Tillage and Herbicide Resistance
The following article appeared as a Commentary in the Capitol Press earlier this year. Matthew Weaver heard a presentation I gave on herbicide resistance where…
Precision vs. Uniform Spraying
Continuing with the precision agriculture topic (also known as digital agriculture) that my colleagues have mentioned during the past few weeks, I concur that it…
Herbicide Weed Resistance, Robotics, and Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture
Records suggest that humans and weeds have coexisted since the beginning of recorded time. As such, challenges to manage weeds have been a long-standing issue…
The Future of Weed Control
What does weed control for agriculture look like in the not-so-distant future? Some are making big bets it will look much more automated. While many…
Utilize Non-Volatile Herbicides When Controlling Broadleaf Weeds This Spring
Spring is a critical time to control newly emerging annual broadleaf weeds in a variety of crops. As temperatures increase, so too does the risk…