How to Apply Weed Killer Herbicides to Potatoes
The usual way to control weeds on potatoes is weeding. But in some cases it is impossible to use this option - other methods are needed. We will tell you in the article how to get rid of weeds in a potato field and how to treat the plantings.
How to control weeds on potatoes
If foreign plants grow in a potato bed along with potatoes, farmers use one of the control measures:
- weeding, hilling and loosening the area.
- use of herbicides.
The use of herbicides on small home plots is only advisable in rare cases. As a rule, this is due to the appearance of quarantine weeds in the garden - ragweed, dodder and similar plants, which cannot be controlled mechanically.
Important! Weeds with a strong root system, such as wheatgrass, cannot always be removed mechanically. Only herbicides are effective against them.
Why do they interfere?
Why use herbicides - what exactly are weeds dangerous for?
Dangerous effects of weeds on potatoes:
- Weeds take away nutrition from cultivated plants. This is especially dangerous on soils poor in humus, where the amount of nutrients is small. The growth of weeds leads to a sharp drop in the yield of garden crops.
- Weeds serve as a food source for potato pests. For example, weeds provide shelter for the Colorado potato beetle: this can lead to complete destruction of the crop.The situation is similar with wireworms, mole crickets, etc.
- Weeds carry diseases of garden crops.
According to the type of development, pest plants are divided into groups:
- Parasitic – not capable of independent growth, feeding on the juices of the host plant. Typical examples are dodder and broomrape.
- Non-parasitic, growing independently and competing with potatoes for nutrients in the soil. This group includes sow thistle, horsetail, wheatgrass, bindweed, etc.
The times when potatoes were a crop that did not require special care are long gone. Nowadays, without chemicals, obtaining a full harvest is problematic: the Colorado potato beetle and late blight will destroy some of the plants, and weeds will completely choke the crop.
What is herbicide
A herbicide is a chemical that destroys or inhibits the development of any plants other than the crop being grown. In particular, for potatoes, the use of substances that inhibit cereal plants is especially important.
Types of herbicides
According to their biological effect, herbicides for potatoes are divided into the following types.
Continuous action
Such preparations destroy any plants except nightshades throughout the entire growing season.
Continuous herbicides include:
- "Antiburian";
- "Hurricane" and "Hurricane Forte";
- "Roundup";
- "Tornado" (all varieties).
This type of herbicide is especially effective for pre-planting treatment of an area infested with wild oats, wheatgrass or bindweed.
Important! Since continuous herbicides are not selective, they can destroy the potato plantings themselves. In addition, they accumulate in the soil and tubers. They are used extremely carefully, observing the dosage.
Selective action
This type of chemical is used when the potatoes have already begun to grow and have been attacked by a second wave of weeds. In this case, substances are used that destroy or inhibit the development of specific types of plants.
Selective herbicides for potatoes include:
- "Lazurit" and "Lazurit Super" – burns out unwanted vegetation that has already appeared, seeds in the soil and young seedlings, but in case of overdose it is dangerous for the potatoes themselves - it cannot be used for early ripening potato varieties;
- "Quickstep" – destroys monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous weeds;
- "Escudo" effective against sow thistle and wheatgrass;
- "Titus" – destroys cereals and broad-leaved plants;
- "Miura" - “killer” of cereals.
The main difference between blanket and selective herbicides is their dosage. The higher the amount of drugs applied, the higher the risk of destroying all vegetation, including potatoes.
Pre-emergence
This type of chemical is also called soil chemical. Its peculiarity is that these herbicides can be applied before the first green plants appear in the field or garden: it kills weeds at the seed or seedling stage.
Pre-emergence herbicides include:
- "Centurion" - for working with monocotyledonous weeds;
- Roundup is a universal herbicide;
- other glyphosate-based herbicides.
Post-emergence
This type of substance is used after the emergence of weeds (systemic herbicide “Panther”). Therefore, they are often classified as contact chemicals.
The best herbicides
The following remedies are most popular when working with weeds in a potato field.
"Zenkor"
This universal drug is designed to suppress the growth of all weeds.Available in the form of water-soluble granules. It destroys not only the plants themselves, but also their roots and seeds in the ground.
It is used on the site in two stages:
- The first time it is used is a few days before the potatoes emerge. In order to maintain a thin protective film of the drug on the site, after treatment with “Zenkor” they refrain from mulching, loosening the soil and watering the plants for some time.
- After 10-15 days, a second pass is made - for those weeds that still survived and sprouted.
"Zenkor" cannot be used in sunny weather during the day, while the sun is at its zenith. Under direct rays, the drug “burns out” and becomes ineffective.
"Titus"
The drug is effective against annual and perennial weeds. It suppresses the growth of climbing perennial plants especially well. The product helps fight dodder, a dangerous weed that pierces potatoes and feeds on their juice.
"Titus" quickly penetrates the surface of the leaves and further inhibits the growth of weed cells. It is completely absorbed after 3 hours, so watering during this period is extremely undesirable.
The activity of "Titus" does not depend on the humidity level of the area.
Treatment of potatoes against weeds with Titus is carried out once. It is dissolved in water and sprayed on potato bushes before hilling. After spraying, it is not recommended to carry out mechanical weeding or other soil treatment for two weeks.
"Herbitox"
Destroys weeds by suppressing photosynthesis in above-ground seedlings. The drug is not selective, it affects all plants. Active substances are sodium, potassium and dimethylamine salts.
"Lapis lazuli"
A universal drug. Apply before and after emergence.Affects the roots and leaves of weeds. It is used on potatoes once a season - before the bushes reach a height of 10 cm. The main active ingredient is metribuzin.
It is considered one of the most powerful drugs. Therefore, it is extremely important to follow the dosage prescribed by the manufacturer.
How to apply herbicides
Weed control preparations are used in strict accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
General principles of application:
- Prepare a working solution. It is advisable to use soft water (melt, rain or specially softened) and glass or plastic containers.
- The solution is poured into a spray bottle.
- The sprayer is adjusted in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
- The working solution is applied to weeds or soil.
Processing rules
When working with herbicides, remember:
- You cannot work with drugs at temperatures above +25°C;
- It is undesirable to use them in direct sunlight;
- repeated use of the same drug is permissible if it is permitted by the manufacturer and there is an urgent need for it;
- in small areas it is better to refrain from using herbicide, replacing it with mechanical weeding and hilling.
- When planting potatoes shallowly, it is undesirable to use chemicals: there is a risk that they will destroy the crop.
What should be the effect after treatment?
The best effect when using herbicides is the complete death of weeds, although this is not always achievable.
Externally, the result appears as follows:
- lodging, wilting and drying of weeds;
- disappearance of seedlings of any other species except potatoes.
Additional agents that enhance the effects of herbicides
As a rule, herbicides do not require additional products. However, in some cases, the following measures are used to increase efficiency:
- mixing with a soap solution - in this case, the drug forms a film on the surface of the weed, enhancing the effect;
- application of drugs during drip irrigation. This method, called herbigation, is especially effective for industrial potato growing.
When should herbicides not be used?
It is highly undesirable to use herbicides in the following cases:
- when growing early ripening potato varieties - the drug will not have time to act and will remain in the tubers;
- if potato shoots have been damaged by frost or pests;
- if grown variety potatoes are sensitive to herbicides.
This is interesting:
Conclusion
The use of herbicides reduces the amount of manual labor and eliminates weeds. To achieve a positive effect and for safety reasons, it is important to use drugs in accordance with the manufacturers' instructions.