Dove Fields?

[Tedl10]

How is everyones fields coming along? We planted approx. 40 acres this year. Roughly 2/3 have started flowering as of today.
Here are some iphone shots of ours since we planted.

[Wingman]

Those look great, Ted!

Mine started flowering a few days ago. Planted May 15.

[redspeckable]

Beautiful. There aren't many things prettier than a mid summer, full bloom sunflower field.

[jdbuckshot]

looks great. should bring in plenty of birds

[Wingman]

Speaking of dove fields, I went to a meeting yesterday and learned some interesting stuff. Ole SWAG tested several different kinds of seed on three different sites in the state. In Coahoma County on good cotton dirt, hybrid seeds averaged 1,677 pounds of seed per acre (they said this rivaled anything Kansas or other sunflower growing states could produce) whereas the regular old peredovik averaged 767 pounds. In Sharkey county on gumbo, hybrids averaged 797 pounds and peredovik averaged 441 pounds. And in Yalobusha county on silt loam there, hybrids averaged 438 pounds and peredoviks averaged 516 pounds.

They also tested the percentage of bare ground in the plot at harvest using various herbicide treatments throughout the year. Dual/Spartan preemergence and Select postemerge resulted in 85% bare ground. Dual preemerge and Beyond postemerge (Clearfield sunflower) averaged 22% bare ground. And, as expected, no herbicide treatment produced hardly any bare ground.

[Blackduck]

That is pretty neat. Not much change for the peredovik. What kind of herbicide is Select and when do you spray it?

[Wingman]

[Smoke68]

[Wingman]

Preemerge herbicide is just that. You spray it before the crop and weed emerges. It would kill door nail dead the sunflowers. Sometimes too much rain will cause certain pre emerge chemicals to injure your crop also. It only lasts so long then it breaks down in the soil. With sunflowers, you are very limited in labeled herbicides that can be sprayed over the crop after it emerges to kill broadleaf weeds. Grasses aren't a problem to control.

[Tedl10]

We sprayed pre-emerge the same day we planted and select when they got about knee high. We received about 1/2 an inch of rain today so hopefully we will be fully flowered by Sunday.

[champcaller]

Looking good Tbird!

[Wingman]

I'll bet you that you took that pic facing slightly northwest.

[Wildfowler]

Is there a link to some report for the testing that swag did?

Thanks

[SWAG]

Here is link:

http://msucares.com/pubs/publications/p2725.pdf

[donia]