For many years University of Minnesota Extension Crops Educators Lisa Behnken and Ryan Miller have organized herbicide trials in Olmsted County. With COVID-19 they are not able to host a group tour that was always very well attended. However, farmers and agronomists can go to the trials that are all signed and take a self-guided tour.

The Rochester herbicide trials are at a new location this year just east of the Olmsted County Recycling site on County Rd 9 (Collegview RD) just one mile north of the previous location. "Please respect the plots as they will be harvested for yield."

The new location means the weed spectrum is a little different. There are common lambsquarters, wooly cupgrass, velvetleaf, commom ragweed and marestail. Missing are waterhemp and giant ragweed which are two tough weeds many farmers are trying to control. It is likely just a matter of time before they will be at this new site too?

When you get to the site there is a mailbox and a UM Extension Field Research sign with a QR code on it. Scan the code and you will hear an introduction. Inside the mailbox there will be a map and a tour sheet. Of course there is no cost to take the self guided tour. You can look at all the plots from the alleys but please do not walk through the plots.

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