Application timing key to controlling winter annuals

Hardy winter annual weeds are often the bane of an otherwise bright and hopeful spring. They germinate in fall through early spring, when soil temperatures and moisture levels are favorable. Because they often emerge just before or at the same time as when pasture plants come out of dormancy, winter annuals can quickly outpace and overcome desirable grasses.

The goal with annual weeds is to not allow them to become established. The key to controlling them in pastures and on rangeland is to catch them early, before they become serious competition for desirable grasses and forages. That requires close monitoring to make a timely herbicide application after the initial weed flush in the spring.

Two common and persistent winter annuals are henbit and buttercup.

Henbit (Lamiumamplexicaule) is found across much of the United States, and its rounded, hairy leaves are an all-too-familiar sight in pastures in early spring. Because this weed tends to grow horizontally as much as vertically, mowing is not an effective control option. A well-timed, early-spring application of DuPont™ Cimarron® MAX herbicide can provide excellent control of henbit, along with other tough broadleaf weeds. Cimarron® MAX provides contact plus residual activity and excellent pasture grass safety in one application.

Tall buttercup (Ranunculus acris) is toxic to livestock and found throughout North American pastures and rangelands. Buttercup thrives in weak or thin pasture stands. The four species of this winter annual differ mainly in leaf shape and growth, but all produce characteristic bright yellow blossoms that make them easy to spot. DuPont™ Pastora® herbicide provides control of all buttercup species in bermudagrass pastures, and handles other tough broadleaf weeds. It is best applied when weeds are actively growing and before they reach four inches in height.

DuPont^™ Cimarron^®MAX and Pastora^® are not registered for sale or use in all states. See your DuPont retailer or representative for details and availability in your state.

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