In this week’s Almond Matters, brought to you by Valent USA Corporation, new plantings are going in the ground. Starting off with a clean orchard floor is key to managing weeds. “The whole concept is you want to start your new plantings in a clean environment so that the nutrition that you are putting in there gets utilized by the tree and not by competing weeds,” Valent’s Field Market Research Development Representative Tino Lopez said.
Lopez said burning down everything before planting is a good start and an effective pre-emergent can help a grower manage weeds that will come when irrigation begins. “There aren’t too many available. One of the products we have is Chateau herbicide. The nice thing about it is that you can use it immediately after planting,” he said. “It’s a pre-emergent as opposed to a contact material.”
New plantings usually happen in the fall and spring, but Lopez said he sees some later plantings with new products from nurseries. “With the development of rooted plants, (plantings) are getting later and later,” Lopez said. “It’s not uncommon to see people planting in June anymore.”
Lopez said growers should take the time to prep the ground before planting. Using a herbicide that growers won’t be able to use after planting to clear the ground is key to management. He said that practice will make pre-emergent products more effective.
Listen to Lopez’s full story.