The UF/IFAS Tip of the Week shares tips for managing weeds in the row middles of your citrus grove.
Managing weeds in the row middles of a citrus grove can be a tricky thing, according to the UF/IFAS Tip of the Week. Weeds are necessary to stop erosion, but you don’t want the weeds to move into the tree rows and compete with the trees for resources. The article shared tips for weed management in row middles. Explore the details below.
Tips for Managing Weeds in Row Middles
Mow Down Tall Weeds in Time. “Mowing tall-growing weeds, such as grasses, should be done before they get too big (approximately 1 to 2 feet high) and before they go to seed.”
Wipe With Herbicides. “Wiping with post-emergent herbicides like glyphosate will also help manage the growth of tall weeds in the row middles. The herbicide solution is applied to the row-middle weeds through a wet surface of wiping equipment such as a carpet wiper or a panel wiper to suppress growth and establish low-growing vegetation.”
Practice Chemical Mowing. “Consider integrating chemical application and mowing to manage the weeds in row middles. Chemical mowing consists of the use of sublethal rates of post-emergent herbicides such as glyphosate in combination with mechanical mowing.”
Plant Cover Crops. “Growing cover crops in citrus row middles has several benefits, such as minimizing soil erosion, adding organic matter and improving soil quality. Another significant advantage of planting cover crops in citrus is their contributions to vegetation management in the row middles.”
Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.
