Herbicides For Beans In Kenya: Weed Management In beans.
I consider myself a typical Kenyan.
Like every typical Kenyan, I decided to have a side hustle to boost my income.
For some time, I cracked my head. Thinking. Imagining. Daydreaming on what I would do to earn that extra coin.
Finally, decided to invest in bean farming.
After saving money for some time…
I Leased some land. Plowed it. Got people to grow bean seeds (Oh! my dream was slowly taking shape)
In about 5 days, the beans germinated.
I was now ready for the next step, which was obviously weeding.
After waiting for another one and a half weeks, the bean seedlings were big enough for the weeding stage.
“Do I still use laborers to weed using jembes/hoes?” “Or do I use herbicides?”
I pondered for some time.
After some serious thinking, I opted to use a herbicide for weeding.
I reasoned that using the herbicide will:
1. Allow me finish weeding faster.
2. Save me money
So I opted for ther ‘herbicide route’ instead of the ‘normal jembe weeding.’
Therefore, this post is about the herbicide I used to the weed bean crop.
I will narrate my experience doing it, so that if you’ve never used a herbicide when weeding beans, you can have the confidence doing it.
SPOILER ALERT: This is going to be a long post.
Why? I’ve put all the details…
so that you never go wrong using the herbicide.
Ready?
Continue reading…
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Herbicide to Use On Fallow Land in Preparation for Bean Planting.
The land I leased was fallow.
It was INFESTED with the feared couch grass.
“Plowing the land as it is would cause future weeding problems.” I reasoned.
Why?
Killing couchgrass by plowing is very difficult.
Some of the grass stolon would be buried in the plowing process.
That would be like replanting the grass again.
In this case there was ONE solution.
“Spray ROUNDUP on the grass before doing any plowing!”
Roundup (also known as glyphosate a broad spectrum herbicide), was the best herbicide to use for this case.
It kills ALL the plants including weeds that it has been sprayed on.
By doing this, all the weeds and unwanted plants on the fallow field, first turned yellow, then brown and finally were Completely DEAD.
Two weeks later (after spraying roundup) I confidently plowed the land, knowing all the couchgrass was dead!
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Herbicide to use After Beans Have Germinated:
This is where many bean farmers find themselves at the crossroad.
They don’t know which herbicide to use on their beans.
The good news is, “they don’t need to be in that confusion anymore.”
All they need to do is use an herbicide known as Bentazone 480g/l.
In Kenya, this herbicide is sold under the brand name “BEANSCLEAN 480SL”
Here below is a photo showing the herbicide:
How to use Bentazone/ BEANSCLEAN 480 SL
This herbicide is fairly easy to use.
If you intend to use a knapsack sprayer,
- Fill your Knapsack up to the 15-liter mark with water
- Add 200 ml of Beansclean in the 15 liters of water.
- Add a suitable sticker.
- Top up with water the remaining space until you reach the 20-liter mark.
- Agitate the tank using a stick or suitable material.
- Close the lid and the herbicide is ready to use.
- Spray it on actively growing weeds while ensuring all the weeds come into contact with the herbicide.
My friend and I did this, and I found that we used 2 hours to finish spraying one acre.
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How Field Looked As They Applied Herbicide For Beans
How Beans Field Looked Like After Herbicide was Used
Mode of Action of Bentazone/BEANSCLEAN Herbicide
Bentazone is a selective post-emergence herbicide.
It kills all weeds and plants that have germinated and have come into contact with it except beans.
For the herbicide to be effective, you must spray the weeds when they are still young.
The weeds should be at 3-4 leaves stage for this herbicide to effectively kill them.
3 days after we finished spraying our bean farm, I noted some older weeds are resistant to this herbicide.
That’s why the manufacturer insists that you spray the weeds when they are still young.
Another thing I noticed, it slightly injured the bean crop. As shown in the photo in the next page.
I expect the beans to overcome this injury and continue growing normally.
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Slight Burning Injury Caused By Bentazone On Beans.
The Bean Farm 1 Month Later after Using Bentazone Herbicide:
From the photo, you can see that Bentazone is very effective in controlling weeds in beans.
The field is very clean, and it has very few weeds in it.
Wrapping it up on Herbicides for beans:
Which herbicides are you using for bean farming and what is your experience?
Please share them with in the comments section below!
Would you like to buy Bentazone but it is not available in the agrovet near you?
I may be of help to you. Please get in touch using the WhatsApp button on this page and I will help you get the Herbicide.
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Tools you Need To Apply Bentazone
Without a knapsack sprayer, you CANNOT use herbicides on your farm.
Of course a knapsack is an additional cost but it is absolutely necessary if you want to save time when farming.
When I was applying the bentazone as explained above, I was with one other person. It took us 3 hours to weed 1 acre of land.
If we were using jembes, I know it would have taken us days!
Just imagine the time savings by using a Knapsack and a herbicide!
Uvuko Knapsack Sprayer KSH 7,100/=
Two-in-one Knapsack sprayer is a labor saving and high efficiency sprayer.
Usable powered or manually.
It is comfortable to handle with back cushion with curved fit and sprays evenly.
Easy to fill with fitting filter. It is especially suitable for pest controlling on crops, flowers, gardens and for cleaning of public places & homes and for diseases prevention and sanitation of livestock & poultry sheds.
Has high density UV resistant poly tank with volume marking in litres. Powered by 12V/10A battery. On full charge 9hrs operation. Pressure is 0.2-0.4MPA a, flow rate of up to 1.7l/min and spray distance of 60-80mm.*We sell* spare parts for item parts lost or mishandled.
Uvuko Manual Knapsack Sprayer KSH 2700/=
Knapsack manual sprayer is an economic safe and efficient sprayer. It is comfortable to handle and sprays evenly.
Easy to fill with fitting filter.It is especially suitable for prevention and cure of diseases and insects’ violation of crops, for blowers, plants & gardens, for environmental sanitation of public places ,vehicles and offices & homes for disease prevention and sanitation, also for livestock & poultry sheds.
the tank has a curved shape for comfort of user.
Has high density UV resistant poly tank with volume marking in litres. The operational pressure is 0.2-0.3MPA and operational travel of 60-80mm.*We sell* spare parts for item parts lost or mishandled.
I planted potatoes for the first time in a one acre land, it has not germinated but i need advice on how to go about it after germination.
I have got good knowledge from this literature. Please thank you!
I have got good knowledge from this literature.I am from Ethiopia. I have Bsc in plant science Please thank you!
it is good of you to have thought of sharing this
Thatnks alot quite interesting what is the best foliar to use for beans nourishment?
What herbicide do I use for a farm I have intercropped, beans and sunflower
Hi Andrew, this is a tricky one.
Most Herbicides are designed to work where there is only one crop in the field. When it comes to Beansclean, you can only use it safely when you have intercropped beans with maize. NEVER USE IT WHERE YOU HAVE INTERCROPPED BEANS WITH SUNFLOWER. IT WILL KILL THE SUNFLOWER!!!
The information is useful but how can someone get it in Nigeria
Hi Jibril.
Thank you for asking how you can get this bean herbicide in Nigeria.
Well, this herbicide is sold as basagram in Nigeria and you can get it within your country.
Here is a link to an online shop found in your country >>> https://www.afrimash.com/shop/livestock-section/veterinary-products-and-services/vet-medicine/basagran-post-emergence-herbicide-1-litre/ . Please check it out