How to Prevent Weeds in Sweet Corn
When growing corn, it is important to remove any weeds that sprout among the plants. Weeds will compete for water and soil nutrients--and if allowed to grow big enough--sunlight. Weed control has to start right as the corn germinates and continue until the plants are several inches high. Once the corn begins to grow taller and stronger, it will be able to crowd out the weeds on its own. There are different ways to get rid of weeds--some that work better on certain weeds and some that work effectively if combined with another method. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Use an integrated weed management program to control weeds in cornfields. Apply various methods to control and eradicate weeds so that weeds will not become immune or resistant to one type of weed management. Spray herbicide when necessary. Change to another method, such as hand pulling in small plots or mechanical tilling in larger areas.
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Use an alternate weed-control method when dealing with a herbicide-resistant strain of corn, as some types are in California. Do not spray Roundup on resistant varieties of corn because this type was developed through gene transference to survive Roundup so that other weeds in the field could be killed with this herbicide without harming the corn.
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Look for weeds among the corn rows during sowing and after the corn germinates. Document every type of weed and the stage of growth it is in as you walk through the field so you will know what type of weed management to use.
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Be sure to maintain good growing practices, such as cultivating the corn crop at the correct time, killing weeds in nearby fields, irrigation ditches or among other crops. Clean any plowing or farm equipment to make certain you are not transferring weed seeds or pieces of roots from one field to the next.
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Plow, till and turn over the field as soon as the corn crop is harvested to destroy any weeds that were growing and to bury deep in the soil any weed seeds that may have been produced.
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