Unfortunately, this roller-crimping attempt did not fully kill the rye and he still needed to spray. He notes, “I had to prioritize my soybean timing; if I plant a little later this year it might be better timing to crimp the rye. I’m still experimenting, and it would have been better if I’d been able to wait until later to plant.”
Changing tactics: Kevin’s goal with roller-crimping is to use less herbicide. Last year he eliminated one burndown herbicide pass, and looking forward, he would like the roller-crimper to serve as a substitute for burndown, entirely. “I only sprayed twice last year instead of three passes. In an ideal world I’d only spray once, about a month following crimping,” says Kevin.
