Fall Burndown Gives You a Jump Up on Spring Weeds
Sep 22, 2026
Burning it down after harvest can go a long way toward preventing weeds from popping up next spring.
“There are plenty of reasons why a fall burndown can be beneficial,” said Federated Agronomist Ryan Linnell. “In short, it’s easier to control certain weeds now, because they can be much harder to kill once spring rolls around.”
A fall burndown herbicide application can help you target hard-to-kill winter annuals at the beginning of their life cycles, when they’re more vulnerable. Applying herbicide post-harvest can also reduce the population of host plants for pests and disease. Win-win!
A fall burndown application can provide:
- Better control of tougher weeds like winter annuals and perennials that are much harder to kill in the spring
- More options on herbicide choices, which in turn can reduce herbicide resistance
- Reduced soil compaction because soil is generally drier in the fall than the spring
“Most importantly,” Linnell said, “A fall burndown gives the grower more time in the spring to get in the field and start planting.”
Contact your Federated Agronomist to schedule your fall burndown application now!