This IVM pro sees great results and business benefits with two key herbicides
Layne Fields is the Northern Region Operations Manager of Chemical Weed Control, a family-run company that handles electric utility, renewables and oil/gas vegetation management clients across a wide geographical footprint. He gave us the inside scoop on the benefits he enjoys from combining Method® and Esplanade® herbicides, from highly effective control to significant labor efficiencies.
A history of superior results
Mr. Fields has been in the IVM business for nearly 30 years, so he knows which products he can rely on. In fact, he began testing Method and Esplanade herbicides over 10 years ago. He combines the products in custom tank mixes and sees great results in a wide variety of geographies and conditions. He says, “We found that the combination of Esplanade and Method herbicides gives us a wider spectrum of control, and with a systemic or a preemergence program, we actually get better results in the fall and winter with that combination.”
Versatility delivers labor management benefits
Like many business owners, Mr. Fields says that finding, scheduling and retaining labor is a primary concern that can cause costly delays and client issues. “Our business is very cyclical, and if you don't schedule and strategize jobs to utilize your talent throughout the year, you're going to lose that talent,” he says, adding that talented, experienced and licensed applicators are the most likely to seek stable, high-paying employment if work slows down.
Combining Method and Esplanade herbicides eases this challenge by providing custom mixes that can be applied throughout the year. “Products that have good value in the fall and winter allows us to stabilize our labor and keep everybody busy all year long.”
Flexibility and precision from tank mixes
Mr. Fields sees clear financial benefits from using customized tank mixes of Method and Esplanade herbicides. If a worker makes a mistake mixing products by hand, the resulting off-label mix often can’t be applied at all — a loss that could be in the thousands of dollars.
He’s able to specify both products and rates, making it possible to create a tank mix for any situation. He says, “Throughout a year, we may have 12 or 15 different mixes depending on what part of the country, what time of year, what the species are.” In the past seven years, he has shifted almost exclusively to custom mixes for both brush control and bareground application.
Tank mixes can also help with public relations thanks to a QR code on the package that leads to the label. Mr. Fields says, “If a landowner comes up and says, ‘What are you using?’ We can have them snap a picture of the QR code and immediately there are all the SDSs and labels. It can really help de-escalate some of those situations and calm things down with a face-to-face conversation that builds trust and transparency.”
A strong ally in the battle against herbicide resistance
Russian thistle, pigweed and kochia are famously resistant to many herbicides, particularly in western Oklahoma, West Texas, Kansas, Nebraska and the Dakotas. Mr. Fields says, “Esplanade and Method herbicides have absolutely proven to be the best offense against those species.” He adds that even one application a year is effective, but twice a year is ideal. “It's not about doubling the rates. It's just about reinforcing that barrier. And if we can apply it twice a year, we can completely wipe those weeds out.”
One final insider tip: He’s found that this combination gives even better control of resistant species when applied in the fourth and first quarter.
Reducing the seed bank
Controlling the seed bank is a foundational weed control technique, but it’s more challenging when a job site is next to an untreated area. Mr. Fields says this is another case where Method and Esplanade herbicides are very helpful. “Outside the fences of where we spray, the weeds can be head tall, so you get seed pressure bearing down on you every year. Yet if we can have a twice-a-year application, it is the only combination we found that actually has met that challenge successfully.”
Surprisingly, he adds that snow boosts success in these situations because it slowly pushes the products through the top soil as it melts to prevent seeds from germinating.
The combination that delivers safety and results
Utility and bareground work can put crews right next to fields of corn or slopes where runoff is a concern. Mr. Fields says he’s very confident in using Method and Esplanade herbicides in those situations, saying, “I have never found a tank mix that I have more confidence in the safety of staying where it's supposed to stay.” He adds, “We would rather go with something safe and effective rather than something that might be more aggressive.”
