# Young Timothy Friendly Herbicide????!!



## VA Haymaker

We put down fertilizer a few weeks ago and my new stand of timothy I planted at the end of last summer is responding - yippie!!!!

However.....

So are the annual broad leaf weeds..... 

I've got 2,4-D and Pasturegard in hand, but wanted to wait until later in April to spray both for weeds and cereal rust mite (via Seven XLR Plus) in the same pass AND give the timothy time to be more mature.

But - I think I need to go ahead and hit these fields with an herbicide now.

Any thoughts on spraying younger stands of timothy, advice on the herbicides I've got on hand or another recommendation? The one thing I don't want to spray is something with a residual.

Any recommendations/advice is much appreciated.

Thanks,
Bill


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## Vol

How many leaves per stalk average do you have now Bill? If you have a 3-4 tillers per plant, you should be safe to spray 2-4d....it may set it back temporarily, but that will likely just help you about harvesting a little later in more favorable temps.

Regards, Mike


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## Hayman1

Bill-
Grazon-next if you have the development that Mike described. Just used it and it's getting everything, he bit, speedwell, chickweed. Supposed to get mullein but I chop them out to be sure. You can check with your local supplier on totally new Timothy but I think the rule is 3-4 tillers. Otherwise you are looking at pasture guard which does not touch speedwell. Rick


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## VA Haymaker

Vol said:


> How many leaves per stalk average do you have now Bill? If you have a 3-4 tillers per plant, you should be safe to spray 2-4d....it may set it back temporarily, but that will likely just help you about harvesting a little later in more favorable temps.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Mike,

It's a mixed bag - most is not there yet. I don't think I'm going to spray.

What I am considering is using a finishing mower on these fields set just low enough to nip the broad leaf blooms and with it stop/reduce any seeding for next year. It would also clip the fields, clean them up a bit - eliminating that trash from being baled up later this spring. Perhaps it's possible - if I also nip the tops of the timothy, it will also trigger a growth spurt (it works on my lawn - LOL). I would come in later this month, once the timothy recovered and matured with broad leaf herbicide and maybe some additional nitrogen.

Thanks!
Bill


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## VA Haymaker

Hayman1 said:


> Bill-
> Grazon-next if you have the development that Mike described. Just used it and it's getting everything, he bit, speedwell, chickweed. Supposed to get mullein but I chop them out to be sure. You can check with your local supplier on totally new Timothy but I think the rule is 3-4 tillers. Otherwise you are looking at pasture guard which does not touch speedwell. Rick


Rick - thanks!

I've considered Grazonnext - but it has a residual whereas 2,4d and Pasturegard do not (as I understand and read it). I didn't see speedwell listed on grazonnext as one of the weeds it takes out - need to look again. I know that the label for 2,4-d lists doesn't square with all the weeds it will kill - grazon is probably the same.

Thanks again,
Bill


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## Hayman1

leeave96 said:


> Rick - thanks!
> 
> I've considered Grazonnext - but it has a residual whereas 2,4d and Pasturegard do not (as I understand and read it). I didn't see speedwell listed on grazonnext as one of the weeds it takes out - need to look again. I know that the label for 2,4-d lists doesn't square with all the weeds it will kill - grazon is probably the same.
> 
> Thanks again,
> Bill


one of the biggest headaches I have had with my current timothy is speedwell. the Dow rep said that GN would get it and it appears wilted. Sprayed this past Wed. of course, last nights 30 did not help herbicide to work but I think the damage was already done to the speedwell and now it is a matter of time. Surprisingly, the last thing to wilt was the volunteer clover in the field. We will see what survived by next weekend after it warms back up for about 4 nights.


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## PaCustomBaler

Bill, I always hit fall Timothy seedings the following spring (mid-April) with 2,4-d without any crop damage. 2 pints/acre with surfactant

As for the Sevin, we researched and found that as long as we maintain high levels of fertility in the timothy stands, it helps to build plant sugar levels and the mite's metabolism can't handle the high sugar levels. Science is a wonderful thing.

But if you're fertility is low, definitely zap it with Sevin.


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## Hayman1

PaCustomBaler said:


> Bill, I always hit fall Timothy seedings the following spring (mid-April) with 2,4-d without any crop damage. 2 pints/acre with surfactant
> 
> As for the Sevin, we researched and found that as long as we maintain high levels of fertility in the timothy stands, it helps to build plant sugar levels and the mite's metabolism can't handle the high sugar levels. Science is a wonderful thing.
> But if you're fertility is low, definitely zap it with Sevin.


PA- interesting note on sugar- I maintain very high fertility levels but have still had mites. Maybe because we are further south it is different


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## BCRick

Pure stands of timothy grown for seed or just forage can be treated with Badge II (bromoxynil + MCPA). From what I understand both bromoxynil & MCPA can be bought separately and tank mixed. Zero residual and almost impossible to hurt any kind of grass, worst you can do is set the grass back 'bout two weeks, plays heck on broadleafs though!

BCRick


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## BCRick

One thing I forgot to mention is Badge II is from an Isreali company Adama, its a knock off and very inexpensive compared to other better known herbicides, it does work as well as them though.

BCRick


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