August 2022 - 15

GLVPN VEG CONNECTIONS
Extremely Effective Post
Emergent Herbicide
¬ACTIVE INGREDIENT - 15.9 % Phenmedipham
¬PROVIDES Control of Broadleaf Weeds in
Spinach (grown for processing and seeding)
and Red Garden Beets.
¬NEW FIFRA 2(ee)* Recommendation
(AZ, CA & TX)
Offers Application Window Flexibility
Now Available in One Gallon Jugs!
Byron DuBois of Springbrook Farms, Pittsgrove New
Jersey, uses Spin-Aid®
Herbicide on all of his 500 acres of
To encourage the growth of anaerobes, which destroy air-breathing pathogens in
soil, growers can promote healthy soil by sealing beds with plastic for a month before
planting tomatoes in hoop houses.
The basic ASD recipe follows:
1. In September, during the field
tomato glut, clear out the
hoophouse.
2. Spread and rototill 40 pounds
per 100 square feet wheat bran
to a depth of 6-8 inches.
3. Spread 10-20 pounds per 100
square feet molasses (~1.7
gallon) , diluted 1:4 with water
(80 pounds ~ 9.5 gallons) onto
the soil surface and let it soak
into the soil.
4. There are two options at this
point: saturate and cover, or
cover and saturate. Either works.
A. If using plastic rows:
form beds, lay drip tape
and plastic, and then
irrigate until soils are
saturated to a depth of
8 inches.
B. If tarping a whole area:
irrigate until saturated at
8 inches, and then pull
tarps over. Seal edges
of the tarp with soil,
sandbags, or boards to
exclude air.
3. Let sit for 4 weeks experiencing
soil temperatures over 75°
Fahrenheit. Keep high tunnel
vents and doors sealed to
increase and retain heat.
4. When ready to plant, remove
tarps or dibble holes in
plastic beds at least a week
before planting to allow for
off-gassing of the anaerobic
microbial byproducts. Bad
smells indicate good things
happened in your soils!
What is unique about ASD,
compared to fumigation or steam
treatments, is that it doesn't eliminate
a broad spectrum of soil microbial
populations. Instead, ASD shifts
them, and these microbial community
shifts are not permanent. Most studies
have shown that following cropping,
soil microbial communities altered
by ASD return to their pre-treatment
levels (minus the pathogens) in terms
of diversity and numbers of microbes.
A grower could add beneficial
microbes, like Trichoderma, but these
microbes will naturally recolonize
soils following ASD.
Due to its temporary nature,
Filbrun has adopted the practice
for every other year of production.
The trade-offs for ASD that Bob
mentioned were related to taking out
good tomatoes to start the process
in August, and delaying planting
of winter greens after the process.
However, in badly-afflicted hoop
houses, tomatoes are struggling to
make it through July anyway, and
in a healthy hoop house at the peak
of field tomato season the price for
tomatoes makes the pill easier to
swallow. For most growers, ASD can
be applied every 3 to 5 years to keep
soilborne diseases in check.
In terms of impacts on soil pH,
ASD can temporarily decrease pH in
some soils, but effects on salt levels
haven't been looked at. In Ohio, the
pH impacts have been inconsistent,
with no change in pH being more
common than a reduction in pH.
However, if your water is naturally
high in soluble salts, alkaline, or
coming from a groundwater source
rich in heavy metals like arsenic, then
ASD may contribute to the effects that
those elements have on the soil system
due to the volume of water required to
saturate the treatment area.
Hear the full interview at
www.glveg.net/listen.
For free high tunnel soil borne
disease testing, contact Anna Testen
at anna.testen@usda.gov or
612-991-2845. VGN
processed spinach. " I have been using Spin-Aid as long
as I can remember. " Weeds commonly seen in the South
Jersey fields are Lambsquarters, Pigweed and Chickweed.
" I am a real stickler about getting early control of weeds.
If weeds get out of control, we need to hire a hand weed
crew, which is costly and difficult to find. As soon as I
see weeds emerging, I do my first application of Spin-Aid
at 3 pints per acre. " Byron follows up 7-10 days with a
second 3 pint per acre application to make sure he gets
any additional weeds that emerge; after that, the plant
canopy is wide enough to fight off any other ones that
might appear.
Moves Water and Chemicals
Into The Rootzone
¬PROVIDES Uniform Penetration and
Lateral Movement of Water
¬ENCOURAGES Improved Rooting and
Nutrient Uptake
¬ENHANCES Initial Wetting and
Subsequent Rewetting of Soils
¬IMPROVES Distribution and Effectiveness
of Soil Applied Chemicals
¬SAVES WATER - Reduces Irrigation
Requirements by Up To 25%
Other Quality Products Offered From Belchim USA
* See complete 2ee Recommendation prior to use.
All products are not registered in all states.
Ask your Belchim representative for current registration status.
Integrate is a registered trademarks of
Belchim Crop Protection USA, LLC.
2751 Centerville Road | Suite 100
Wilmington, DE 19808
Phone: 855-445-7990 | www.belchimusa.com
info.usa@belchim.com
VGN | AUGUST 2022 | 15
http://www.belchimusa.com http://www.glveg.net/listen
August 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2022
