# Reclaming a field from Sumac



## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

I'm going to attempt to reclaim a 14ac field next to my fields. The field is a old neglected pasture that has never had anything good done to it, it has been vacant for 15yr and maybe got bushoged one time a year if that.. now it has a mad infestation of Sumac along with other junk....

This past week, the next door fella bush hogged it, later I rolled it, mostly to get the stuff off the field as we can't burn right now....

Our plan is to lightly disc and broadcast Fescue & OG, cultipack etc..

He plans to spread lime this fall also after we see what the soil samples look like.....

We know getting rid of Sumac this bad is going to take years of chemicals & cutting so a working hay field sounds like it might work...

Now the questions....

1) What chemical & app rate would be good for both new Fescue/OG & work on the Sumac...

2) We plan to also plant something that will make hay next spring as the new grass won't be much, what would be a decent crop to plant this fall and be hay ready next May.... I'm thinking something to harvest in spring would be good for getting the field cut and ready for spring spray for the Sumac... I guess what would my choices be here in the upstate SC area for fall planting, spring cutting be???

Chris


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

If it is the sumac that I know of, you are going to have to deal with acidity in the soil for a year or so (until lime works). And if you bush hogged it, my sumac would have some nasty sharp sticks (stem, left over trunks, what ever you want to call them), that could be hard on rubber tired vehicles/equipment. 2-4d, smokes my sumac, when growing (mine have about a 1" trunk, grows about 10-12' high).

Soil tests will give you a better direction, I be waiting until they come back to plan an attack.

Larry


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

It would have been much better to have sprayed the sumac with Crossbow before bushogging. If it was mine I would do nothing but LIME this fall and wait till next spring when the bushed sumac sprouts about 2 feet tall and then hit it with the heavier dosage of Crossbow(3 Qts./ac).. I would definitely want the sumac killed before planting grasses. Then follow up with 2-4d treatments mid-summer and not apply anything 45 days before planting seed next fall.

Regards, Mike


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Vol said:


> It would have been much better to have sprayed the sumac with Crossbow before bushogging. If it was mine I would do nothing but LIME this fall and wait till next spring when the bushed sumac sprouts about 2 feet tall and then hit it with the heavier dosage of Crossbow(3 Qts./ac).. I would definitely want the sumac killed before planting grasses. Then follow up with 2-4d treatments mid-summer and not apply anything 45 days before planting seed next fall.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Ditto, get the weeds (sumac) under control before planting, too good a chance when the sumac should be sprayed might not be good for the grass.


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## Troy Farmer (Jul 31, 2011)

Here in South Carolina you have time for the sumac to start growing again. Let it come back and hit the field with Remedy or Relegate (generic) at 2pt per acre with a surfactant. I did something similar last year but in the spring. That Relegate cleaned up that field. I had to go back and spot spray this year but not much.

Are you going to be able to get that orchard grass to take here in sunny, hot and humid SC?


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Here's the type Sumac we have so much trouble with around here. Late FIL had some bulldozed out around one field 10-15 years ago and it's back maybe even worse. I've seen it get 30 feet high and 4-5" trunks.

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/all/rhus-typhina/


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

I like how that NC site tells all about the plant, except how to be rid of it....... Never seen it like that here


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## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

Thanks for the great info everyone.. Sounds like a good plan, we will just spray & lime this fall and do more next year...

I was going to take some pics but he got it bushed quicker than I thought he would, he was out till midnight 2 nights riding the bush hog, he did really good too, I told him to cut the ground so no stobbs were poking up for tires... and he did just that, I couldn't have cut it closer myself....

I will let things green up and spray later....

Troy---- I'm not sure about the OG in our area, kinda looking for a companion grass for Fescue that may survive our dryness & heat here....

Thanks for your help

Chris


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Chris, I was reading about Stag Horn Sumac last night after Grateful's post (another article) and what I discovered was that some species of Sumac can take 2-4 years to get rid of....but it sounds like if you hit it hard maybe later this fall, then again next spring, summer and early fall, that maybe around the first of next October that you could get your Orchard grass down and then continue your assault against the sprouts. It looks to be quite a investment so I would imagine you have a long term agreement on the tract?

Regards, Mike


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## reede (May 17, 2010)

Chris/Troy,

I have been using Orchard in my pasture mixes for a few years now. The Clemson extension folks say that for the most part it will last about 2 years here. I throw in a few pounds per acre in my fall overseed mix that I drill in every year, kind of treat it like an annual, but I do have a nice minor population of it out in the pastures here now. It greens up a little earlier in the spring, and goes a little longer in the fall than the fescue, of course not much going on in the summer with it. Strip grazing has helped as well, as I am managing to leave a little higher stubble height.


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## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

Vol, this is all between 2 folks beside my property, the one told me he does have a 5 year written lease but will be going back to the land owner and see about a longer term agreement as neither had any idea what was needed money wise until I came along, I am only in as deep as some labor & info, he does pay me for my work and I will ultimately be the one providing the baling service once the field is worthy of bailing, so it all will work out maybe...

I also have seen this type Sumac take years to get rid of so yes, a long term project for sure me thinks....


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Grateful11 said:


> Here's the type Sumac we have so much trouble with around here. Late FIL had some bulldozed out around one field 10-15 years ago and it's back maybe even worse. I've seen it get 30 feet high and 4-5" trunks.
> 
> https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/all/rhus-typhina/


Yep, same crap as here.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

I have added boundries in portions to fields that were in a similar condition. When reclaiming land under those circumstances I always choose to grow corn there a year or two with Rye cover crops growing whenever the corn was not there. Orchard Grass is very tender at the time of establishment it was often said here you got a farm some pills into the soil before you can sew the grass.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

Typo ;farm some TILTH into the soil not pills


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Same sumac here, pain in the butt. I mow it a few times a year.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

Neighbor in the development next to me has a steep back yard/woods area. they decided to stop mowing it a couple years back. It is now overgrown with Sumac trees. Sumacs are about 20 ft. All we need is one good windstorm and they will blow over on my fence....


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## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

Birds, other animals etc will get them your way sooner or later...

This field didn't have them until the "then" neighbor decided it was a good idea to leave deer carcasses on top of the hill, didn't take long before they took over.. and what cutting they did do just pissed the stuff off....


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## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

reede said:


> Chris/Troy,
> 
> I have been using Orchard in my pasture mixes for a few years now. The Clemson extension folks say that for the most part it will last about 2 years here. I throw in a few pounds per acre in my fall overseed mix that I drill in every year, kind of treat it like an annual, but I do have a nice minor population of it out in the pastures here now. It greens up a little earlier in the spring, and goes a little longer in the fall than the fescue, of course not much going on in the summer with it. Strip grazing has helped as well, as I am managing to leave a little higher stubble height.


reede, where are you getting the seed and what's the cost for OG.. what type ya think will survive best here..


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