• Though it may be difficult to have a ‘cool burn’ at this time of year, try to include cooler, morning burns to retain more trash and tops whenever practically possible.
• Spread trash and tops evenly over the whole field immediately after harvesting – within a week or two, if possible. This will mean good subsequent weed control, reduced evaporation and improved soil health.
• Inspect each field weekly to determine your weed control programme.
• Identify problem weeds in each field and prepare to carry out an appropriate spray programme e.g. creeping grasses, purple watergrass, digitaria etc.
• Pre-emergent and early post-emergent chemicals, i.e. long-term herbicides, are the most cost effective.
• Fields identified for replant in 2026, which will be ploughed out using minimum tillage, should be sprayed with glyphosate starting in October. Longer fallow periods have a number of benefits, including much more time to ensure that all volunteers are completely killed and removed before replanting.

Eldana

• Moth peaks are typical in September, October and November. Step up your own scouting activities (over and above routine P&D surveys). This will help you to formulate any eldana spray programmes being implemented during this period.
• If there is a field history of severe eldana infestation, or evidence of eldana damage in young cane (e.g. dead hearts and frass), fields with even a very small amount of stick may be sprayed. Discuss this with your Extension Specialist.
• Choose a targeted approach on specific fields/sections of the farm where spraying is needed. Spraying every single field is not only expensive, but also not very environmentally friendly!

Fertiliser top-dressing

• Top dressing of ratoon cane should now be in full swing and, by the end of September, you should have finished with the backlog of fields harvested during winter.
• You should be up to date with your fertiliser programme by the end of October.
• Too much nitrogen fertiliser can reduce your RV% unnecessarily and increase eldana damage.
• A reminder that, when applying gypsum for subsoil acidity (according to your soil analysis), be sure to apply at least one ton of dolomitic lime as well, to replace the magnesium that can be drawn down out of the topsoil by the gypsum. Gypsum can also be used with dolomitic lime on ratoon crops, to help to draw the lime a little down the soil profile.

Late-season ripening

• In some areas, especially for crops on high potential soil, late season cane quality maintenance may be achieved using ripeners. Always be sure to test your cane first using PurEst^® . On lower potential soils, ripening should be avoided if it is very dry. If in doubt, check SASRI Information Sheet 4.6 Principles underlying chemical ripening and late-season quality maintenance.
• KZN Midlands growers have experienced a relatively mild winter, and low RV% at present may mean that ripening is recommended, especially on younger cane that will be harvested this year. Note that ripening decisions should only be made upon testing with the PurEst^® app.
• In the irrigated areas, only the fields without stress, flowers, pest or diseases and with seven or more healthy, green leaves should be considered for late season ripening. Provided that there is sufficient soil moisture. Whole stalk juice purity must be confirmed using a refractometer and the PurEst^® app. If it remains dry and water restrictions come into play, consider not ripening.