If you are planting beans this spring or have planted them in recent days, then make sure you apply a pre-emergence herbicide for weed control.

Beans have been planted in recent days and seed is actually in short supply and sold out in some merchants. There’s good reason for this.

First of all, the protein aid payment gives growers insurance, a break crop provides alternatives for weed control and helps add yield to the next crop, as well as opening up markets for seed and food-grade crops.

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However, you should not plant crops if you are not going to take weed control seriously.

One of the advantages of growing beans in the rotation is alternative weed control and herbicides with different active ingredients than cereal crops.

Pre-emergence application of a herbicide gives the best opportunity to control weeds in bean crops. Ideally, pre-emergence will be applied to a rolled seedbed in damp conditions for best effect.

Options include products such as Nirvana or Emerger. Nirvana goes out at 4l/ha. Emerger is applied at 3l/ha.

If you have grass weed problems, it might also be a good idea to apply a graminicide before flowering, something such as Falcon or Stratos Ultra.

Early application to small weeds works best, but make sure weeds are up too. It’s a balance.

Ensuring good weed control in break crops can help to prevent herbicide resistance in grass and broad-leaved weeds.

Planting

When planting, keep seed rates up and don’t drill too deep, as sowing this year is a bit late. Phosphorus and potassium should be applied to the seedbed or with the seed.

Roll crops to tighten the seedbed, keep crows away, stones down and an even seedbed for the herbicide to work evenly.