# Burning off coastal hay field?



## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

I have a field of first year coastal bermuda. Have some patches of cockle-burs in it and was recommended to me to burn the field off. Have no idea what affect fire could or would have on the coastal so asking for advice. I am concern fire would damage the roots. Sprayed this field with 2-4D twice mainly for cockle-burs and right this minute sure the other herbicide that also at least stunted the cockle-burs.

My thought is should not burn the field and possibly will have regrowth this fall and if so spray then but begin aggressive treatment early next year. Our first frost normally is not far away but this has been a warm fall so may be little late.

As always thanks for your help.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Id probably wait until late winter/early spring....


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## bluefarmer (Oct 10, 2010)

Late winter early spring. Bermuda loves to be burnt off!


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## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

So it is safe to burn off a field only one year old, good. Thanks


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Palmettokat said:


> So it is safe to burn off a field only one year old, good. Thanks


Of course a good burn off depends on the amount of fuel available....how did the field do this year, have any pics?


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## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

It is a tale of two fields. One is five and the other is ten. The five acre field to me has done very well. About three weeks back cut and baled just shot 400 bales. My nephew got that hay and feed to his horses as I posted and he said the hay was very good and they are feeding it with a flake of new hay and old hay. Now the ten acre field wore me out with weeds in it. It had vassey grass a name did not know and cockelburrs the worst I ever had in any crop. That field was cut last week for round baling for cows and the person who cut it did a terrible job.Friday his round baler broke and it has baled big part of the field and only had four bales. I have not been over the field since he cut it but there are some areas the coastal did not take hold well. But there are areas in it that did very well. Hard to believe the two fields join. I will post pictures but will be a few days.


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## broadriverhay (Jun 13, 2014)

I spray my field with glyphosate in mid February and burn in mid March. Keep in mind I am in Fairfield County if SC. I try to do this every year weather permitting.


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## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

broadriverhay said:


> I spray my field with glyphosate in mid February and burn in mid March. Keep in mind I am in Fairfield County if SC. I try to do this every year weather permitting.


I think we are near enough I would be fine to use your timing. Thanks for the info. May be near you next week as we are doing a lazy trip in the upper part of SC. Doing road trip for short get away.


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## Randy Litton (Jan 21, 2018)

http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0989/ANR-0989.pdf

This an article on the hows and whys of burning Bermuda.


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## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

[email protected] said:


> http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0989/ANR-0989.pdf
> 
> This an article on the hows and whys of burning Bermuda.


Thank you. As to a fire break, I have thought about using sprayer with arms pulled in, maybe on my sprayer I could cross them and spray a width of maybe 7 or 8 feet to spray a lane to control the fire.


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## hay-man (Oct 6, 2012)

If conditions are favorable for burning, low humidity and 5-10 directionally stable winds. Spraying for firebreak will be a waste of time. Unless you are talking thousands of gallons. 
If there is 6" or more of thick stubble it will burn right through the mist you applied. 
I burn every year, make 1 or 2 passes around field with your hay cutter, or zero turn depending on size of field. If hay cutter, follow with side delivery rake, raking all cuttings back into field. If zero turn or the like just blow clippings to center. 
If you want slow and hot light the leeward side, fast and cool light the windward. 
Have a couple atvs to monitor your breaks, use gas powered leaf blowers to blow out spot fires.


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## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

hay-man said:


> If conditions are favorable for burning, low humidity and 5-10 directionally stable winds. Spraying for firebreak will be a waste of time. Unless you are talking thousands of gallons.
> If there is 6" or more of thick stubble it will burn right through the mist you applied.
> I burn every year, make 1 or 2 passes around field with your hay cutter, or zero turn depending on size of field. If hay cutter, follow with side delivery rake, raking all cuttings back into field. If zero turn or the like just blow clippings to center.
> If you want slow and hot light the leeward side, fast and cool light the windward.
> Have a couple atvs to monitor your breaks, use gas powered leaf blowers to blow out spot fires.


Did not realize close mowing would work as fire break. Leaf blower, never would have thought of that either. Did know did not want to have to disk a fire break but rather do that than have a wild fire. Thanks for the info.


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