In which crops can you use Combcut?

Combcut does not process the soil and therefore does not cause any leakage of nutrients, dehydration or impact on microlife. The recommendation is to start using Combcut early in the season and also run later in established crop and grassland and against herbicide-resistant weeds.

Start early in the season

Starting early in the growing season is important, since the weeds are most sensitive to cutting and the crop is easier to cut into. You will get the best results of weed control with Combcut when the difference in thickness and straw strength between crop and weeds is at its greatest.

Use Combcut when:

Combine with several methods for a long-term effect:

Timing is key

The principle of Combcut is based on the physical difference between the crop and the weeds. The greater the physical difference between the crop and the weeds, the easier it is to find a good setting on the machine and get a good result.
It is all about timing when it comes to the stage of growth and the relationship between how far the crop and the weeds have developed. It is usually ideal if there is an opportunity to cut just before the crop stretches (e.g. stem elongation phase for cereals). The damaged weeds will have

Combcut in organic farming

In which crop can I use Combcut?

Here are some examples!

Wheat, oats, barley and rye

Cereals

Cereals are fine-leaved and generally unbranched grasses that are excellent to comb through to fight most weeds with Combcut. Scientific evidence exists on controling thistle, but it is also possible to fight docks, sorrels,fat-hen, field penny-cress, sowthistle, charlock, poppy, cornflower and other weeds. After heading, it is possible to cut flowers and buds of the weed that are above the crop to prevent seeding. Cutting above the crop generally applies to all crops.

Weed control in spring crops is ofter easier than in autumn crops, since the weeds often are a step ahead. The over all recommendation is to start early in the season, but also to repeat later in the established crop.

Grassland / ley

Grasses and legumes

In grasslands, the first run with Combcut is carried out between ten days and two weeks before the first harvest. Timing, as usual, is important. If you have a strong weed growth, you will have to cut them a little earlier before the first harvest so that the grassland can shade the weeds and reduce their growth. After harvesting, drive with Combcut again as soon as the weeds are long enough.

Common weeds in grassland are docks, dandelion and thistle. It´s important to cut docks when flowering so that the seeds don´t have time to ripen and the stalk becomes too hard and difficult to cut off. Sometimes it is difficult to get to cut docks before the first harvest, in those cases you should cut it after each harvest and as soon as the stem elongates. Something to keep in mind is that if the ley contains a lot of clover, it can be difficult to comb through.

In pastures you can have a go with Combcut when the weeds have emerged in spring and early summer. The weeds in pastures are often similar to the weeds in leys. Docks and dandelion are usually a problem but also nettles and thistle. A pasture is often inferior land that is not classified as agricultural land and therefore can contain larger stones and have an uneven surface. In these conditions, it is difficult to drive with Combcut. Keep in mind that it is important that the weeds get competition from the grass for a while after cutting. Here too, both the weeds and the crop need to stretch before cutting.

Podded grains

Legumes

Since legumes like peas and beans are branched, Combcut can only be used to cut weeds above the main crop. The combing effect is absent, but the cutting works for most weeds.The most common weed among legumes is goosefoot, which gets an extra boost later when the legumes start to bind the nitrogen in the soil.

Combcut can also be used to top beans to make them ripen.

Sugar beets

Later in the season, it is not uncommon for sugar beets (including other root vegetables) to want to produce seed heads that influence the sugar content and take energy from the growth of the sugar beet itself. Seed heads also make the harvest more difficult and in the coming years they can become a troublesome weed that cannot be fought chemically.

Seed heads need to be cut early before they get too big and thick for Combcut to be able to fight. Often, they are required to be cut more than once.

Root crops

In the case of root crops, it can generally be said that the weeds should be cut off above the crop with the exception of root vegetables with narrow leaves, such as carrots, where you can lower Combcut into the crop and cut the weeds closer to the ground. Among root vegetables, fat hen and other nutrient-loving weeds are common since root crops are heavily fertlized.

Other crops

Here are a few more examples of other crops, where you can use Combcut.

Other crops

Grass seed cultivation

Both rye grass and timothy are thin and soft at first, and just as cereals they can easliy get combed through with Combcut. Later in the season they usually become tangled and it becomes more difficult to cut weeds closer to the ground. Clover is difficult to comb through but is excellent to cut above the tops before the crop closes and forms a dense carpet. It can also have a positive influence on the harvest to cut clover to sync the flowering stage.

Other crops

Corn /maize

Combcut can be used in maize before it has become so thick that it is damaged by teh knives. Pruning usually occurs when the corn is 15 – 20 cm high depending on the variety. It is possible to comb and cut weeds in corn as long as the crop are similar to cereals and the leaves are thin and soft. After that, weed can be cut above the crop.

Other crops

Flax

Flax is a thin crop that does not compete well against weeds. Customers in France have positive experiences of the use of Combcut in flax. Tests have not yet been carried out in Sweden.

Other crops

Green peas

Thistle buds are similar to the peas in size and weight and are therefore difficult to separate from each other. Thistles therefore need to be cut in time before harvesting so that the buds are not mixed with the harvested peas.

Other crops

Cucumber

Cucumber is low-growing and cannot be combed through, but you can advantageously cut the weeds that are above the crop. The same goes for pumpkins.

Other crops

Onions and garlic

Onions are a poor competitor and form thin soft leaves at the beginning of growth, similar to cereals, and can be combed through at that stage. Later in the growth, the leaves become thicker but still soft. You should be able to drive with Combcut a bit lowered into the crop without damaging it.

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Do you want to watch Combcut in action? Contact one of your local distributors.

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