Winter weed control option in top fruit, soft fruit, forestry and woody ornamentals

Winter is the ideal time to apply soil-acting residual herbicides to top fruit, soft fruit, forestry and woody ornamentals. If you haven’t been able to take action before Christmas, now is an excellent time to inspect these crops and plantations, plan herbicide treatments and use propyzamide this January, advises Dr. David Stormonth, Technical Manager of Interfarm UK Ltd.

"The new label for the flowable formulation, Flomide, now has more crops on it than previously and its recommended crops include apples, blackcurrants, blackberries, gooseberries, loganberries, pears, plums, raspberries, redcurrants, strawberries, seed crops of fodder rape, kale, red clover, turnip, white clover, sugar beet, lettuce, lucerne, rhubarb, amenity vegetation, farm forestry, forest nursery and hedgerows. The WP formulation Engage also has the same wide ranging list of approved crops on its label."

"These two propyzamide herbicides can be used up to the end of January on crops that have been planted for at least one season and have flexible dose rates for annual and perennial weed control. They work particularly well in winter conditions and it would a pity to waste the January opportunity when you could be delivering season-long and effective weed control. Once spring growth starts, weed control in many of these crops becomes much more difficult," explains Dr. Stormonth.

Propyzamide is available from Interfarm as Engage (50% wettable powder) and Flomide (400g/L suspension concentrate). They are both recommended for the control of cereal volunteers, annual meadow-grass, black-grass, brome, wild-oats, chickweed, bindweed, fat hen, redshank, small nettle, speedwells and black nightshade.

For further information, please contact Dr. David Stormonth, Technical Manager, Interfarm UK Ltd. on 01354 741414 or 07818 036506 (mobile) or via e-mail david.stormonth@interfarm.co.uk