Managing Weeds in Organic Corn and Soybeans

Charlie Johnson explains how he controls weeds in corn and soybean crops without the use of pesticides on his organic farm in Madison, S.D. Johnson relies largely on a six-year crop rotation and cultivation tools to control weeds while maintaining good soil health. Johnson illustrates how a custom rotation leverages diversity to manage weeds. 1,600 acres of corn, soybeans, oats and alfalfa are divided into six equal portions. Oats are planted as a nurse crop, followed by two years of alfalfa hay. Row crops follow, with a year of soybeans followed by corn and then a final year of soybeans. Cover crops, pre- and post- emergence tillage and manual field monitoring helps control weeds throughout the cycle.