The combines are running full throttle across Iowa, and while farmers are focusing on bringing in the crop, another reality is emerging along the field edges and in bare spots: weeds that slipped through this year’s control programs. Those escapes may look harmless now, but they are setting the stage for bigger challenges if not addressed before next season. As harvest winds down, growers are already thinking about how to get ahead of weeds in 2026.
Joining us again is Mark Storr, Technical Service Representative with BASF. He encourages farmers to use the combine seat as a scouting tool, paying attention to spots where control was not as strong as expected. Storr says canopy density, row spacing, and even late-season soybean diseases like sudden death can open the door for sunlight to reach the soil, which in turn fuels late weed germination.
Storr adds that the challenges farmers faced this spring put many operations behind from the start, making it difficult to stay ahead of weed pressure all season long.
With an early and likely quick harvest unfolding, Storr cautions that weeds could take advantage of the open window that follows. He says this fall presents an opportunity for farmers to get a jump on the 2026 weed control before the snow flies.
Looking ahead, Storr says the safest way to get ahead of weeds is to layer residuals, both after harvesting this fall and again in the spring. He encourages producers to connect with their local BASF retailer to explore the options that can set their fields up for success in 2026.
