There is not much wheat planted in the county this year. Prices are not as good for one thing. Many folks just didn’t get around to getting it in. Here is a field of AGS 2040 planted December 3rd. It was just too wet to get it in around Thanksgiving. We should be okay though. Plants are sprouting but not yet out of the ground. Here is a blog post from Grady County Ag Agent Brian Hayes on Wheat Growth Stages.
One thing we need to think about now is weed control. UGA Extension Weed Scientist Dr. Stanley Culpepper says we need to get our weed control done between now and Christmas. Once we get to February, it’ll be too late to manage ryegrass and wild raddish with herbicides.
Use of Harmony for broadleafs has a large window for safe application, but do not apply 2,4-D to wheat that is not fully tillered. Also, do not apply 2,4-D beyond the first hollow stem phase.
In terms of genetic stability, ryegrass is worse than pigweed. For control of ryegrass, it is important that each field is treated only once every two years with the respected chemistry. For instance, if we use Axial this year, we do not spray Axial or Hoelon on that piece of ground next year at all. The same applies to Powerflex and Osprey. If we do not rotate, we will lose the chemistry. Below is a graph of these chemical classes:
Thomas County Ag 