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2025 Growing Season Brings Weed Control Challenges—And Expert Advice!

Jun 03, 2025 at 09:52 am by WGNS


Row crop farmers across Tennessee are battling a familiar foe this season—pesky weeds. But fear not! Help is on the way, thanks to the Rutherford County Master Gardeners and experts at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture.  This Thursday morning (6/5/2025) Lynn Reynolds and William Brison will take to the airwaves on WGNS’s “Promoting Healthy Plants” to answer live weed control questions from listeners between 8:15 and 9:00AM.

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, UT Extension weed specialist Larry Steckel and his team are keeping a close eye on aggressive invaders like Palmer amaranth (pigweed), Italian ryegrass, and horseweed (marestail). Spring rains have fueled the spread of these problem plants, making effective control a top priority.

“We’re seeing horseweed more than three feet tall, and it’s still early in the season,” says Steckel. He recommends Liberty for soybean and cotton fields, with Enlist One as a strong alternative in cooler weather. For corn, farmers should look for premixes containing HPPD-inhibiting herbicides like Armezon, Callisto, or Laudis, paired with atrazine.

For those wanting hands-on strategies, the annual Weed Tour is set for June 18 at 8:30AM at the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson.

Whether tuning in to WGNS or attending the Weed Tour, Tennessee growers have plenty of expert advice to help keep weeds in check this season. For more details, visit utcrops.com or reach out to the local Extension agents at the Lane Agri-Park, 315 John R. Rice Blvd. here in Murfreesboro. It's next to PAWS and down the street from Sam's.