Pre-Planting

During late winter or early spring, you can fly over bare fields to see how and where water is flowing across your field. Anywhere you see channeling or ponding of water in the field is an area to take note of. Flowing water carries stuff with it.

The main concern is weed seeds from outside the field that are now being deposited in your field. Glyphosate-resistant weeds are a big issue for producers. Drone footage allows you to see where the water is coming from and where to stop it. If you choose not to stop the channeling water, still make note of where this is occurring. Once a crop canopy closes you cannot see the channels anymore.

Late July and August are the hottest and driest parts of the growing season and are more favorable to weeds, so it’s a good idea to visit those areas for any weed treatments you may need to apply.