# Johnson grass takeover.



## Limousin50 (Aug 7, 2017)

I had three good hayfields, about 110 acre's in all, get overrun by Johnson grass this year between first cut and now. No second cutting this year. The upside is that the cows love it and have eaten the first field down to the ground. I'm going to let them have the other two. I thought I would immediately drill it back when they get it eat down with a good hay mix. I hope this chokes it out. Any thoughts on Johnson grass control?


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

The only good control I know of for Johnsongrass is repeated intensive grazing.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Intensive grazing is worthless here for Johnson grass. My neighbor has overgrazed for decades. When he pulled his cattle off a field next door it was immediately overtaken by Johnson grass.

There are chemicals that will kill it, but it generally means sacrificing the field usage for a season if you overspray.

I think the best approach is use a weed wiper and wipe with the chemicals that will permanently kill Johnson grass when the JG is a foot or so above your desired grass(es).

Regards, Mike


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## RockyHill (Apr 24, 2013)

Vol said:


> Intensive grazing is worthless here for Johnson grass. My neighbor has overgrazed for decades. When he pulled his cattle off a field next door it was immediately overtaken by Johnson grass.
> 
> There are chemicals that will kill it, but it generally means sacrificing the field usage for a season if you overspray.
> 
> ...


Exactly. About the only thing that ever overgrazed here and somewhat killed johnsongrsass were army worms.

There are some discussions on here about weed wipers if you go that route.

If we were feeding the hay, we'd just cut the johnsongrass on about a 30 day schedule and have some really good feed.

Good luck.

Shelia


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

RockyHill said:


> If we were feeding the hay, we'd just cut the johnsongrass on about a 30 day schedule and have some really good feed.
> 
> Good luck.
> 
> Shelia


I have a lease where JG is multiplying. The property is for sale at a reduced price so I have backed away from spending a lot of money trying to control it. It would not bother me if the entire field became JG. I could cut it every 30 days and make great hay.

Some folks in south Alabama plant it for hay, fertilize it and the whole nine yards.


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## RockyHill (Apr 24, 2013)

Tim/South said:


> I have a lease where JG is multiplying. The property is for sale at a reduced price so I have backed away from spending a lot of money trying to control it. It would not bother me if the entire field became JG. I could cut it every 30 days and make great hay.
> 
> Some folks in south Alabama plant it for hay, fertilize it and the whole nine yards.


At one time we considered just going JG but didn't want the 30 day cuttings. Glad we started on the eradication program instead.

Shelia


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## Limousin50 (Aug 7, 2017)

Thanks, all of you for your input. A big thing I'm getting here and on other , older posts on this site is the weed wiper app, and catching it before it seeds out . I've seen those weed wiper things advertised and have considered getting one. I just bought a new 200 gallon 3 point hitch sprayer last year, that I use for herbicide applications on fence rows and spot spraying. The problem with spraying is it kills the clover which I rely on for nitrogen and hay. Also while Johnson Grass makes good forage when it is tender before it heads out, it doesn't make good hay in my opinion because it drys out so bad and when you feed it it is so dry that they don't like eating it so good. So if you want to control it, you can spray it and kill all your clover, or graze it and drill it with seed after they eat it down, or try the weed wiper thing. Maybe a combination approach will work. Thanks again for your thoughts.


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## Limousin50 (Aug 7, 2017)

I think I'm going to go with a low endophyte fescue , orchard grass, mix. With a little rye grass for cover this fall to chock out the Johnson Grass . Gonna get away from clover until I get it under control, that way I can spray it after the first cut if I need the second cut and don't want to graze it.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Limousin50 said:


> I think I'm going to go with a low endophyte fescue , orchard grass, mix. With a little rye grass for cover this fall to chock out the Johnson Grass . Gonna get away from clover until I get it under control, that way I can spray it after the first cut if I need the second cut and don't want to graze it.


Limo, you cannot "choke" out Johnson grass....there is nothing that will do this as far as grasses are concerned. I wish it were possible.

Regards, Mike


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Weed wipers work purty good, just $$ for a good one.....


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## Limousin50 (Aug 7, 2017)

Grazing does best if you have access to do so. Right now its very low and just right for drilling. First cut hay, and then the grazing kept it from seeding. As soon as fall gets here, I'm going to drill it with a good mix with a rye cover and see what kind of stand I get next year. Might do some light apps in between with 2-4-D also.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Whatcha spraying that 24d for limo......


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## cooperangusfarm (Mar 28, 2010)

Outrider will smoke Johnsongrass an do no harm to bermudagrass


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

cooperangusfarm said:


> Outrider will smoke Johnsongrass an do no harm to bermudagrass


Good to know...tank mixed with anything? And at what rate? Welcome to haytalk....


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## Randy Litton (Jan 21, 2018)

Minimum 12" Johnson grass before boot stage. Apply  Outrider 1.25 oz/A. Nonionic surfactant at 2pts/100 gal spray, or .025% v/v. Two applications , 40 day interval. Do not harvest for 14 days; to allow herbicide to affect root system.


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## Limousin50 (Aug 7, 2017)

What about lime? My father was big on lime to get rid of weeds, he also broadcast seed every february in the fields that were grazed low before he applied his fertilizer mix in March or April. Seems I've seen a connection to lack of lime and weed infestation. I must say his fields were a lot more productive and a lot cleaner than my fields. And they are the same fields. LOL.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Limousin50 said:


> What about lime? My father was big on lime to get rid of weeds, he also broadcast seed every february in the fields that were grazed low before he applied his fertilizer mix in March or April. Seems I've seen a connection to lack of lime and weed infestation. I must say his fields were a lot more productive and a lot cleaner than my fields. And they are the same fields. LOL.


We are subject to many more weeds at this point in time than say 40 years ago.....when I was a kid there was not any Johnson Grass around here that I knew of....now there is every kind of weed under the sun. We even are being bothered by foreign weeds due to importation of florist flowers....like Russian knapweed that was shipped here for floral arrangements....then thrown out in a field or ditch after flowering where it went to seed and got a foothold and now that stuff is all over the West. So many more vehicles carrying seed everywhere now. Back in the seventies the only two weeds I was concerned with much was Horsenettle, Ironweed, and Honeysuckle vine. I see weeds I never was familiar with before about every 3-4 years now.

Regards, Mike


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## Limousin50 (Aug 7, 2017)

Yea, back then thistles, cuckleburs, and hogweeds were the worst, but these could be easily dealt with by spot spraying or strategic mowing before they seeded out. I suppose to get a really clean stand of high quality hay, like alfalfa or clover, you might as well treat it like a no till drill row crop and do a complete burn down in the spring or fall before planting to get maximum yield. The fertilizer, seed, and tractor time add up to a lot of money, spraying isn't to much more considering that and then you have a field as clean as the seed you buy.


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## Dan_GA (Dec 29, 2015)

If you're gonna replant it... keep it bushhogged for awhile, to give the seeds time to germinate while keeping new seeds from being produced. Then burn everything down with roundup and replant. I've burned JG patches out of my front hayfield this way, and let the bermuda filter back in.


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