# Pasture and hay field weed management schedule



## SilentH (Aug 27, 2014)

Looking for advice on a year-long best practices of weed control in a cattle pastures and hay fields. I know a lot depends on weeds that our present, however I am more over looking for timing of spraying, and different products you like that kill a lot of different weeds.

For example I am in a 2,4-D restrictive spraying county because of the cotton crop, therefore March 15th is the last day for aerial spraying. Last year towards the end of March I hit my back pasture with Grazon Next HL, and I believe it did a super job. I used a boom sprayer. I notice there are some weeds like goat weed that came up sometime in June. I am sure there will be winter weeds as well.

One thing I learned on my spring spraying is the weeds were higher than I thought especially since we had a cold winter for Texas and I should have sprayed 2 weeks earlier when the weeds were shorter for some where already seeding out. (some kind of thistle)

Any help on a schedule / general timing for example "I always spray "early spring" and / or "mid summer" and "I always spray this product or products then for weed management" would be greatly appreciated!

In addition, would like thoughts and experiences with liquid or granular fertilizer and timing as well... Spring is probably the most important, however does anyone do a fall application on coastal for winterizing?

Thanks!


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## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

Is 2 4D the only restriction due to the cotton crop? I would assume this restriction would also include Dicamba?

You could then use product that didn't have the 2 4D component. Such as Picloram, Aminopyralid (which is what your Grz Nxt HL is w/2 4D, I think), Triclopyr, or Cimmaron.

Course, all of these would be lethal to a cotton plant.

Your restriction is kinda like us with Picloram and the 'bacca plant (in which we are in full swing of harvest in these parts. bumper crop. fear not you Coppenhagen chewers).


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## SilentH (Aug 27, 2014)

Bonfire said:


> Is 2 4D the only restriction due to the cotton crop? I would assume this restriction would also include Dicamba?
> 
> You could then use product that didn't have the 2 4D component. Such as Picloram, Aminopyralid (which is what your Grz Nxt HL is w/2 4D, I think), Triclopyr, or Cimmaron.
> 
> ...


Funny, ex-copenhagen chewer here...7 years removed... The 2 4-D is restricted from March 15th until cotton harvest which is happening now... The plan or schedule I am formulating from last year...for 2015 is... My first application will be in March with Grazon Next HL where I will be hitting all my pastures and may hit my coastal patch as well... then, that's where I am unclear going forward for weeds that spring up in June July and August, when and what to hit them with? And do people spray for winter weeds? Thanks!


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

HERE the snow rakes care of the winter weeds.


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## Colby (Mar 5, 2012)

We don't start spraying here till April 1 at the earliest. 
I'd say May 1 if you want to target goat weed. Thistles will be harder to kill though. 
If you can't spray grazon and your pastures are solid coastal, spray msm60. 
It'll kill Bahia too and is a lot cheaper than 24D


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

I spayed last year round up at 1qtpa during a real cold spell, Idk, it did ok but didn't kill this damned Italian ryegrass (or so they call it) and my fields still looked like crap come spring......one of the best methods is constant mowing....we always spray in the spring and you know what I use....btw I pay 12.50 an oz for Pastora but have found out lately that I'm payin too much....so ima going back to the negotiation table with my supplier....


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## TJH (Mar 23, 2014)

My friend who runs the local coop here told me to spray my pastures the first week of October and that would take care of the weeds the fall rains will bring up as well as have a good jump on next springs weed crop that the chicken litter will bring out. Grazon Next is what he recommended.


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## SilentH (Aug 27, 2014)

deadmoose said:


> HERE the snow rakes care of the winter weeds.


Thanks! Native Texan who can't stand the cold weather! Texians like our occasional 70 and 80 degree days in December! Last year was too cold, however I heard all the freezes took care of our Raspberry (crazy) ant problem!


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## Colby (Mar 5, 2012)

somedevildawg said:


> I spayed last year round up at 1qtpa during a real cold spell, Idk, it did ok but didn't kill this damned Italian ryegrass (or so they call it) and my fields still looked like crap come spring......one of the best methods is constant mowing....we always spray in the spring and you know what I use....btw I pay 12.50 an oz for Pastora but have found out lately that I'm payin too much....so ima going back to the negotiation table with my supplier....


I don't understand why some people hate ryegrass so much.. We a drilling 100 acres into our coastal patches in 2 weeks. 
It may take back from the coastal a little but rye and coastal first cut mix makes some damn good hay. 
I can see if your planning on making clean first cut horse quality squares but sometimes you're putting more money into that then you'll ever get out of it. I love rye grass here and most days I can sell a rye grass and coastal mix bale faster than a straight coastal bale. Round bales to cattlemen that is.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

We are going to have to embrace it, I try to make horse quality squares out of first cut but not anymore since the invasion of this crap....usually persists to first week of June then it's gone. Not bad feed value just sucks money out of my pocket, would much rather make squares out of that cutting....


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Trouble with ryegrass here is if you plant it once you have it from now on whether you want it or not......not so bad if your making hay for cattle.....sure it a lot better than k31 fescue that everyone uses. For horses I imagine that ryegrass would be just fine feed but the trouble is for good quality it needs to be cut early on in April here and we rarely would have the weather to do so and by May it is seeding and is rank and doesn't make so nice looking of hay. To a small grain grower ryegrass is a nightmare.


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## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

SilentH said:


> Funny, ex-copenhagen chewer here...7 years removed... The 2 4-D is restricted from March 15th until cotton harvest which is happening now... The plan or schedule I am formulating from last year...for 2015 is... My first application will be in March with Grazon Next HL where I will be hitting all my pastures and may hit my coastal patch as well... then, that's where I am unclear going forward for weeds that spring up in June July and August, when and what to hit them with? And do people spray for winter weeds? Thanks!


10 years removed here. Want to really screw up a $1M life insurance policy application? Pop positive for nicotine on the physical blood test. Never happened to me but wow, it gets real expensive. I asked!!!


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## rajela (Feb 15, 2014)

Colby said:


> I don't understand why some people hate ryegrass so much.. We a drilling 100 acres into our coastal patches in 2 weeks.
> It may take back from the coastal a little but rye and coastal first cut mix makes some damn good hay.
> I can see if your planning on making clean first cut horse quality squares but sometimes you're putting more money into that then you'll ever get out of it. I love rye grass here and most days I can sell a rye grass and coastal mix bale faster than a straight coastal bale. Round bales to cattlemen that is.


Same here Colby..the hybrid Rye grass is a good early hay crop.


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