To rid the area of harmful plants and obtain a rich harvest, there is a cardinal remedy - weed herbicides for potatoes. If not removed in time, weeds can ruin the seedlings of root crops, since they develop faster than them, are less demanding on the soil, and in the fall interfere with harvesting and promote the proliferation of pests and pathogens. Herbicides help solve such problems, but their use must be dosed, timely and targeted so as not to harm the plantings and the quality of future tubers.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Weed Control Herbicides for Potatoes
Herbicides refer to chemical preparations aimed at destroying weeds, including potatoes. The advantages of their use include:
- high speed of planting cleaning;
- efficiency;
- low cost costs;
- minimum amount of time and effort to achieve the goal;
- low invasiveness of the method for the treated bushes;
- reducing field weediness;
- increasing the intensification of agricultural production;
- no likelihood of transferring viruses and infections from one plant to another.
Disadvantages of use are considered:
- Soil pollution;
- the possibility of penetration of toxic substances into tubers;
- gradual development of drug resistance.
Important!
It should be remembered that treatment with herbicides is a chemical effect on potatoes that will be eaten, so you should choose a method based on the preferences of the most gentle in a particular case. For small plots of land, a mechanical method of weed control is used; on an industrial scale, chemicals cannot be used. But at the same time, you need to remember about a responsible approach to choosing a chemical preparation, moderation of the dose and frequency of use for potatoes.
General rules of application
If a potato variety is too sensitive to a chemical, you should choose a herbicide for it that is used to treat the foliage of weeds. The dosage is carefully selected, as well as the type of product, taking into account the time of use: that is, before or after germination. The air humidity level should be up to 80%, but not higher.
Those bushes that have been exposed to various diseases, as well as in cases where the tubers are planted shallowly, cannot be treated. The soil should be loosened well so that the drug can be distributed evenly in the soil. The instructions also recommend using herbicides on a day when there is no expected precipitation, temperature changes, or wind.
Features of herbicides against weeds
There are several ways to control weeds, but herbicide treatment is considered the most effective. The scope of action of chemicals is wide. They may contain one or more active ingredients, which can significantly increase the strength of the effect. According to the spectrum of their influence, drugs are divided into selective and continuous action agents. The first are intended for processing a specific crop (potatoes, carrots, beets, etc.). The main task of this species is to destroy all weeds and keep the potato plantings intact. This selective approach is due to the fact that certain herbicides do not have sufficient strength to penetrate the garden crop.
The second type - continuous action preparations - has greater power, thanks to which it is possible to penetrate into any plant and completely eliminate all treated vegetation. Once inside, such drugs act differently. Some “work” only at points of contact, others penetrate the weed and move with plant sap throughout all parts of the plant. They are more effective because they are able to destroy even creeping wheatgrass, which has a powerful root system.
Herbicides can penetrate only the roots or leaves or have a combined type of action. They are applied before planting or after the first shoots appear.
Chemical preparations differ in purpose relative to the weeds being treated:
- cereals;
- dicotyledons;
- broadleaf.
The choice of herbicide depends on the anatomical structure of the plants. Crops with a dense cuticle, pubescence or a waxy coating are able to withstand the effects of drugs that do not penetrate such “armor”. Plants with “feather”-shaped leaves have their own protection: the solution does not stay on them, flowing down a smooth surface and not getting inside.
The reaction of cultivated plants to herbicides is interesting. Some are able to break them down into harmless components, others (corn) pass them through themselves, without harm to their development, and the roots release drugs harmful to weeds into the soil.
Processing methods and times
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To destroy weeds with potato herbicides, any of the existing spraying methods can be used:
- ordinary;
- fine-droplet;
- large-drop;
- aerosol.
It is not recommended to spray preparations during dry periods and during windy conditions. It is forbidden to exceed the dose so as not to harm the seedlings, otherwise the excess will flow off. To apply the drug, special equipment is used, for example, ground sprayer trailers. The optimal pressure for uniform spraying is considered to be a pressure in the equipment of up to 1.5 atmospheres; a special spray tip is needed.
If the weed vegetation has grown too dense on the site, treatment is carried out with continuous action chemicals in the spring during planting or before seedlings appear, and in the fall. After the potatoes sprout the first shoots, it is allowed to use herbicides that have a selective effect on the cultivated field.
A day or three before work, the soil should be watered; it should be slightly moist. They are treated on the same day, morning and evening; nothing can be done on the site for 14 days. During this period of time, the composition will penetrate the soil and begin to destroy weeds. On average, 5 liters of solution will be needed per hundred square meters of land. When choosing herbicides, it is necessary to take into account the extent to which the potato field is overgrown with unnecessary grass.
Attention!
Useful plants growing on the site must be covered with film.
Consumption rates
Different manufacturers recommend their own consumption rates for herbicides, but the dilution method is similar, on average 40-80 ml per 10 liters of water. If weed plants have powerful and strong roots, you can add 100-120 ml of the product. For clayey and heavy soil, the concentration should be maximum. If the soil contains a lot of manure - minimal. After dilution, the solution is ready for use. More details are described in the instructions for use. When treating a potato field with herbicides, be sure to wear a respirator, goggles and gloves.
Contraindications for use
If there are insects or signs of disease on the potato bushes, the use of herbicides is prohibited. If this advice is not heeded, spraying will lead to the death of the plant. It is not advisable to use chemicals for small numbers of weeds. You need to keep in mind that there are potato varieties that are sensitive to herbicides, so before growing it is recommended to find out how the selected variety relates to chemical treatment.
Types of herbicides for potatoes
When choosing chemicals for removing weeds from plantings, it is worth choosing the type of herbicide that corresponds to the purpose and time of application.
Continuous action
This species is one of the most deadly, as it serves to destroy all types of vegetation. The product can destroy the protective shell of seedlings and destroy the future plant. Preparations of this type are used to prepare virgin soil for planting potatoes in order to completely clear the field of all vegetation. In gardening conditions, continuous action herbicides are used to treat beds.
Selective action
Selective chemicals are used to kill specific types of weeds while remaining harmless to potatoes. This type of herbicide is divided into two types:
- broadly selective - destroying an entire plant species;
- narrowly selective - acting only on certain varieties of a species.
In garden plots, selective herbicides are most often used to treat potatoes, which, depending on the time and purpose of use, are divided into several groups.
Pre-emergence
Chemicals from this group are used to treat the soil before planting. In addition to the fact that the poison affects harmful plants, penetrating their tissues, it forms a film on the surface of the soil that can destroy weed sprouts as soon as contact with it occurs.
Post-emergence
This herbicide against weeds is used on potatoes after germination and does not have a toxic effect on their tops. This type is called sheet and is the best option. Spreading through the weeds, the drug blocks the vital functions of plants, they gradually dry out and die.
The benefits and harms of herbicide treatment
Systematic use of herbicides on potato fields gives good results. They help get rid of many types of weeds. Although it should be noted that loaches are the most difficult to destroy. There are opponents of chemical processing who claim that toxic substances penetrate into the leaves and even into potato tubers. This has a negative impact on human health.
Attention! The content of harmful substances can be minimized by using herbicides within the permitted limits. This is achieved by alternating chemical weeding with manual weeding.
Advantages
They destroy weeds without harming young potato sprouts and dry out the soil. There are other advantages to treating your garden with herbicide. During the procedure, it is impossible to damage the bushes, but you can completely destroy the perennial weed. It is also noted that these drugs have a long shelf life and quickly clean the garden.
Flaws
In addition to the main disadvantage of these potent chemicals - the absorption of part of them by the plant, there are other disadvantages. These include:
- destruction of beneficial insects;
- soil pollution;
- presence of pesticides in the soil for several years.
Attention!
In small areas, it is advisable to remove weeds mechanically.
The most popular herbicides for potatoes against weeds
Among the wide variety of herbicides for treating potatoes against weeds, several products are considered the most popular.
Roundup
The drug is a low-toxic, continuous action product. As a result of its use, all parts of the weed die. It is recommended to use the herbicide in the fall or spring, two weeks before planting. Roundup is absorbed into plant leaves. It is harmless for tubers in the ground. After a week, the weeds begin to turn yellow and gradually dry out.
Antiweed
This continuous action herbicide is designed to kill about 300 types of annual and perennial weeds. Its method of application is the same as Roundup.
Gesagard
A chemical composition intended for the extermination of cereal and dicotyledonous weeds. Recommended for use a week before planting potatoes.
Boxer
The drug is used to treat the soil before planting. It is effective against bedstraw and nightshade.
Titus
Potatoes are treated against weeds with herbicide when the shoots of the plant reach a height of about 15 cm. Spraying is carried out once a season.
Lapis lazuli
A selective action drug that destroys annual weeds. The product is first used when potato shoots reach a height of 10 cm. The second treatment is carried out a month later if the weather is rainy or after 2 weeks - in dry weather.
Centurion
This systemic herbicide belongs to a group of drugs that are used without taking into account the stage of potato development.
Shogun
A systemic herbicide for treating crops at any phase of the growing season, capable of destroying cereal weeds.
Zellek is great
Also applies to systemic drugs that can be used even in rainy weather. The composition is capable of turning weeds into dust in two weeks.
Traditional methods
Experienced gardeners give recommendations on the use of simple folk remedies that will help in the fight against plant pests. Such methods have been used for a long time and have proven themselves to be positive. Sometimes a number of drugs are used, taking a break of several days. First, you can try folk remedies, and if this does not bring results, use herbicides. This approach will help you get a good and rich potato harvest.
Vinegar
To prepare a product that is effective and safe for humans, animals, land, and various crops, you will need 40% vinegar and water – 1:1. It is better to spray with a spray gun. To work, you need to choose a calm, sunny day. In bright rays the mixture is more active. It is recommended to start the procedure in early spring; perennial grasses should be combated in the fall. The vinegar will penetrate the weed and attack the roots, destroying them.
Vinegar and salt are considered a more aggressive mixture. It is prepared from:
- 5 tbsp. vinegar;
- 2 tbsp. salt;
- 1 liter of water.
Add the remaining ingredients to boiled water, stir and pour the solution over the weeds.
Herbicidal soap
Herbicidal soap, which is prepared from:
- 1 liter of white vinegar;
- 150 g salt;
- 2 tbsp. liquid soap.
All components are mixed and poured onto harmful plants, avoiding contact with potatoes.
Mulching and covering materials
Another way to rid potatoes of weeds is mulching and the use of covering materials. In early spring, an 8-10 cm layer of fresh sawdust or straw is poured between the rows. During the process of decay, the temperature will increase, and as a result, the grass will begin to rot under the mulch. Once the potatoes are dug up, they will become an excellent fertilizer containing a lot of nitrogen.
You won’t have to resort to weeding if you cover the soil with black plastic film after harvesting. It does not allow air and moisture to pass through; due to the increase in temperature, the weeds overheat, and microbes that cause diseases also die. In September-October, the film should be removed and the ground should be dug up. The dead weeds will become a kind of feeding.
How to properly treat potatoes with herbicides
For ease of use and dosage, herbicides are produced in different forms - powder, liquid, granules.
When carrying out processing, you must follow the rules for working with drugs:
- The product is diluted in a glass container.
- The solution is prepared immediately before use.
- For heavy soils, the maximum dose of the drug is suitable, for sandy soils – the minimum.
- Do not process in hot weather. The optimal air temperature is from 15 to 25 oC.
- Rain can weaken the effect of the herbicide, so spraying should be done at least 8 hours before.
- The use of protective clothing is mandatory.
- Smoking and eating are prohibited during the procedure.
- Upon completion, you need to change clothes and take a shower.
- Watering is carried out no earlier than 4 - 5 days after treatment.
- To avoid potatoes getting used to the herbicide, the drug should be changed periodically.
- You should choose products that cannot accumulate in the soil.
Important! Before using drugs, it is necessary to find out what kind of reaction a particular variety of root crops may have to them.
Weed control on potatoes: traditional methods
The main method of control is weeding. The hoe damages the root system of the weed, and it grows more slowly. Disadvantage: hard physical labor and rapid growth of new ones. When digging, the thin roots of the weed are damaged and dry out. The number of pests is reduced.
Methods for killing weeds:
- Mulching. Cover the soil in grown seedlings with sawdust and old grass, cover with film, creating a greenhouse effect. The weeds are dying. To remove the remains of dead plants, carefully dig up the soil.
- Alcohol processing. Dilute alcohol in a ratio of 1:10, and water the distance between the beds with the solution.
- Soda with laundry soap. Also water the soil between the beds with this solution.
- Vinegar. The vinegar solution is effective only at the stage of weed emergence. Otherwise, it can burn the root system of a healthy vegetable.
Contraindications to the use of herbicides for potatoes
It is not always possible to use herbicides against weeds on potatoes. In case of damage by pests or bacterial diseases, chemical treatment cannot be carried out, since the plants are weakened and may not tolerate the effects of herbicides.
Do not apply preparations to the soil or spray them after frost. It is worth waiting at least a week after the frost.
The use of herbicides is contraindicated when there are few weeds on the site. In this case, practice safe alternative ways to deal with them:
- hand weeding;
- mulching the soil;
- vinegar treatment;
- Sprinkling the soil around the potato bushes with cornmeal.
Important! These methods are safe for the environment and human health.
Lapis lazuli for potatoes
Special attention should be paid to such a drug as lapis lazuli against weeds on potatoes. Like Roundall, Lazurit is considered a safe, highly effective drug, but it was created specifically for potatoes. Although later they began to successfully use it in tomato fields.
The active ingredient of the drug is metribuzin, concentrated in a solution at the rate of 0.7 g per 1 kg.
Thanks to the unique composition of the herbicide, its active substances penetrate into the weed plant through the leaves and root system in the shortest possible time. The versatility of the drug also lies in the fact that lapis lazuli against weeds on potatoes can be used both before the sprouts of the cultivated plant appear and after that.
The use of lapis lazuli on potatoes should be done with caution. Its maximum dosage is designed only for heavy soils. In other cases, it is better to limit yourself to a minimum amount. There are several more rules for using herbicide for successful weeding:
Lapis lazuli for potatoes: instructions for use.
According to the manufacturer's recommendations, the drug solution is not recommended for use on dry or too wet soil. The substance will also be ineffective on sandy soils.
If potato beds are enriched with peat or humus, then “Lapis Lazuli” is best used after the appearance of weeds.
The duration of exposure to the drug depends on weather conditions. If the soil remains dry for 60 days, then there is no need to do additional treatment of the beds. But in case of heavy rainfall, the herbicide lapis lazuli on potatoes should be used within 30 days after the 1st treatment. In this case, the sprouts of harmful plants should reach approximately 5 cm in length.
If the substance is used in a small garden, then its use is permissible after other tried methods have not helped.
Controlling weeds on potatoes with this drug should be done after you have thoroughly loosened and moistened the soil. And it’s better if weather forecasters predict rain on this day.
The maximum concentration in the spray tank should not exceed 5%. In this case, the drug dissolved in water is consumed at the rate of 2.5 liters per 1 hectare of land.
The estimated consumption of Lazurit for a single application is from 1.7 to 1.4 kg per 1 hectare. And with a double treatment method - 0.5\1 kg per 1 hectare.
Spraying should be performed at a temperature of 15-20 degrees.
Treatment of potatoes against weeds with lapis lazuli - when should it not be used?
You should not use the drug if the potatoes were planted too early and their seedlings were damaged by frost. Moreover, you need to very carefully follow the processing rules if other cultivated plants are adjacent to the potato beds, which may be very sensitive to the drug.
Do not spray the herbicide in close proximity to environmental protection zones, as well as fisheries. It is strictly forbidden to do this using aviation.
It is not recommended to use the herbicide if potato seedlings have been damaged by pests. And also when the shoots of a cultivated plant are weak and diseased.
Phytotoxic lapis lazuli safety rules
Like other weed killers for potatoes, Lazurit should be used with caution by apiary owners. Bees do not tolerate the active substance of the drug, so they should not come into contact with treated plants for 4 hours.
Lapis lazuli for weeds on potatoes, the instructions for which state that this substance may pose a danger to surrounding plants or living creatures in windy weather.
In order to protect yourself as much as possible from the effects of the herbicide, you need to use special protective equipment. Namely:
- respirator or mask with juices separately;
- special waterproof suit;
- high rubber boots and household gloves.
To be fair, it should be said that the use of Lazurit is justified only when other methods have not helped, since the drug still belongs to the 3rd hazard class. After working in the field, it is better to take off all these clothes and take a shower.
Due to the chemical composition, as well as due to safety precautions, eating and smoking are prohibited during spraying.
How to prepare a weed killer for potatoes?
Convenient and detailed instructions on how to prepare the working solution are contained in the product packaging. Therefore, before using Lapis Lazuli, it is best to refer to this information.
However, we once again provide approximate calculations that you can use as a guide when preparing the solution:
- Herbicide in an amount of 1.7 to 1.4 kg is consumed per 1 hectare with a single use. And with a double treatment method - 0.5\1 kg per 1 hectare.
- If we convert this amount into liters of working solution, we get 200\300 liters per 1 ha. But be careful - this rule applies only if potatoes are processed with lapis lazuli, a video about which you can watch on our website. In the case of tomatoes, the ratio will be different.
- The drug is recommended to be used in minimal quantities, unless we are talking about heavy soils and perennial neglected weeds.
Finally, all herbicides for potatoes after germination are used in lower concentrations than before.
Lapis lazuli against weeds on potatoes: reviews
Quite often, having tried many herbicides, as well as methods of controlling weeds and not finding an answer to the question of how to get rid of weeds on potatoes, workers in the agricultural industry find salvation in Lazurit.
Ordinary people and professional specialists are inclined to believe that after using this drug, potatoes do not have any foreign tastes or odors. And laboratory studies do not find harmful substances in cultivated plants. In general, lapis lazuli herbicide for potato seedlings has only positive reviews. Therefore, most users return to using the drug every new season.
Well, the answer to the question of how to treat a potato field against weeds has been received. But we should not forget that the pests we are discussing, as stated at the beginning of the publication, have a high degree of “survivability.” Therefore, even the highest quality and favorite herbicides for potatoes after germination can gradually lose their effect on weeds. This is explained by the possibility of plants becoming accustomed to chemical weeding, so the preparations will still have to be changed periodically.
Advice from experienced gardeners
To successfully fight for the cleanliness of the site, you need to know several secrets:
- treatment with herbicides should be carried out at the beginning of the growing season of weeds, when they are still soft in structure and easy to destroy;
- spraying is stopped 6 weeks before harvesting;
- it is necessary to purchase only certified chemicals;
- You should not use herbicides if the area is not heavily infested with weeds;
- Crop rotation and the use of gentle, harmless techniques help get rid of weeds.
Important! It is worth changing the location of planting potatoes every three years.
Mechanism of action of herbicides
Herbicides are chemicals that destroy weeds that interfere with the normal growth of nightshade crops. This word is derived from two Latin words that translate as “kill” and “grass.”
It is advisable to use such means because some weeds are carriers of diseases that affect potatoes and can destroy the entire plantation. The advantage of using chemicals is that in this case you can get rid of weeds very quickly and without much labor.
The principle of action of herbicides depends on the type of preparation. For example, some products destroy absolutely all plants, while others only affect weeds and grasses that are undesirable in a particular area.
Using herbicides, the following effects are achieved:
- suppression of the growth and reproduction of perennial weeds during the post-harvest period;
- suppression of early weeds during preparation for planting potatoes;
- acceleration of tuber ripening.
Modern chemicals fight weeds such as:
- ambrosia;
- field bindweed;
- pig;
- sow thistle;
- creeping wheatgrass;
- shepherd's purse;
- field thistle.
Mechanical weed removal does not have the same effect as using chemicals.
Most modern herbicides are not harmful to humans, mammals and insects. They are characterized by the absence of renal activity and work at any temperature.
Such products are often used in fields when large quantities of potatoes are planted. In private gardens they are used only if manual processing cannot cope with weeds. Also, in small areas, such preparations are used in the case of old thickets of nettle and hemp on the site, in the presence of weeds with strong roots and aggressive development, for example, creeping wheatgrass.
