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what is the best recipe for having a weed free sunflower field - when do you spray - how many times do you spray - what do spray etc? thanks for any info

I think you can put down a little Prowl and something else I can't remember when you plant. This will give you about 4 weeks of weed control, after that, I don't know if there is a large selection of chemicals that will control weeds in sunflowers. What I did last year was, just before the sunflowers broke the ground, I hit it with about a quart of Roundup. I had alot of nutsedge. Roundup won't kill nutsedge, but it will yellow the snot out of it. I'll ask one of my buddies what you can put on sunflowers and get back with you.

Wingman

I think the other is Cotoran...what most cotton farmers put out at planting. I'll check and make sure on the rates. Also, you'll want to shoot some Nitrogen to them. I put out 20 gallons/acre at planting and they were the best looking sunflowers I'd seen in a while. Of course, timely rains helped too [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Wingman

WM - thanks for your help

I use Prowl as a pre-merge, cultivator after there up 6"-8" then if I want to get rid of any non broadleaf weeds I apply Poast before they head. Poast wont hurt them but also wont phase a broadleaf. I like to sodium chlorate(?) my sunflowers about 2 weeks before mowing. If there are a lot of weeds the sc will dry them out to the point they turn to dust almost when you mow. Makes a clean field after a little wind or rain also.

I put 1 1/2 pts prowl, .4lb Zorial and .4lb cotoran. Then 120 units of nitrogen.

There ya go, DD gave his recipe. 120 units N would be approx. 33 gallons/acre. Poast is not a broadleaf herbicide, only kills grasses, as du4u said. I got away with Roundup when the seeds were in the crook, and had a good clean field for the rest of the year. The sunflowers canopied and shaded out most of the rest of the weeds. Chlorate will work at the end of the year, some folks use Paraquat. Me, I don't like putting paraquat out there when the birds are gonna eat the seeds and we are gonna eat the birds. Something about Mr. Skull and Crossbones that doesn't sit well with me.
Gwall, where is your field? I have an ATV rig set up to spray if you need 'em sprayed later on.

Wingman

wingman - A farmer up around Drew is preparing a field for us and wanted some information - thanks for your help!!

[ April 13, 2002: Message edited by: gwall ]

DD, does that recipe give good coffeeweed control? I have a field that is notorious for sesbania, trying to get something cheaper than Dual at 95$/gallon.

Wingman
ISAIAH 40:31

Check on Blazer for your sesbania or coffee weed problems.

[ May 01, 2002: Message edited by: SB ]

I know Blazer works in beans, but it will toast cotton. Are sunflowers resistant to it?

Wingman
ISAIAH 40:31

A very good rule-of thumb for sunflowers:

"Grow them just like cotton--any chemical that works good on cotton will work good on sunflowers--conversly, any chemical that kills cotton will kill sunflowers."

Blazer WILL kill sunflowers stone-cold-dead!!
There is NO over-the-top chemical control for broadleafs in cotton or sunflowers, so pony up the $$$ with Cotoran and Duel preplant, if you have coffeebeans(hemp sesbania), morningglory, or cockleburr, or you'll wish you had!!! Been there---done that!!!

Yep, that's what I figgered. I hate to spend the money on the good stuff, but I know if those lil' hemps ever get a leg up, they'll murder the sunflowers. I got away with roundup at planting last year, but it was a different field and a different weed scenario. This field has a history of coffeeweed, and it hasn't been farmed correctly for the last 2 or 3 years, so I know those boys are gonna be rough this year. If I can hold 'em down till the sunflowers canopy, I figure I'm looking at much less of a problem...why spend the money on seed and land lease only to skimp on weed control I say? In the end, you end up losing your money anyway if the weeds take over. Only other alternative is a rope wick. Gonna have a 20 acre field in the middle of dove heaven this year so if y'all are looking for a hunt, check it out at www.fowlmood.com.

Thanks for the advice
Wingman
ISAIAH 40:31

Wingman, there is not much that will work well for premerge on coffee weeds. Cotoran is as good as any. the dual will be good for the grasses.

dedux said it all Forget about the cost and treat them just like yo cotton. You don't have to have a clean sunflower field to have birds. Just have the seed mature before the 1st of August. then clip real low to the ground. Cut real slow to chop everything up. You will find that the ground is almost bear under the sunflowers.

Good luck or go to the bank and get a production loan for the sunflower field. Most bankers like a good dove shoot.

Wingman, good thing you didn't listen to me about the Blazer. We did use it over beans. I know there is a mixture out there that will keep your beans clean, but the EPA won't approve it. I'm afraid to ask the folks what is exactly in it, but their sunflowers are clean. Sunflowers aren't cheap. What do you think it costs to plant them, $100/acre?