Controlling Winter weeds

[Arkieman]

Why try to kill the weeds? Let the cattle graze them down. If the weeds aren't allowed to bloom, they won't be back as most "weeds" are annuals.

Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dANLnHEi19A. (Cows Eat Weeds.)

Thistles and other especially obnoxious weeds can be grazed heavily if you spot spray the weeds (or weed patch) with molasses.

Molasses is cheaper and you don't have to spray the entire field or paddock - just the weeds you want to control.

Once you've sprayed a certain type of weed 2 or 3 times with molasses, the cattle will seek these weeds out first - without them being sprayed - it's just a matter of teaching them to like different plants.

Pat that's a very interesting video! Have you tried it? I've got these dang little sweetgum trees about knee high that I cut/sprayed/cursed all last summer. I've seen the cows nibble on them from time to time. I'm thinking I may give this a try...

 

[PatWentworth]

In the video, it looks like they mix a few bushels of weeds with corn meal and molasses and then set the "salad" out in
1/2 barrels for the cows to eat.

Rather than doing that much work, I just spot spray weeds with molasses (horticultural molasses mixed 1 gallon of molasses to 3 gallons of water) as I see them and let the cows graze them down.

(Hint, you have to empty your spray tank once mixed. If you don't, the molasses will ferment very quickly - it smells like bad beer.)

I don't have to do it more than a few time before the cows go looking for those weeds and eat them first.

If a "weed" doesn't bloom and set seed, it's gone. most weeds are annuals.

Sweet gums? Might work - I've never tried it. My cows will eat hackberry, live oak, and post oak seedlings if sprayed. They are
especially fond of green briar (in the spring) if sprayed.

 

[alabama]

I am uesing a qt. ofWeedmaster product on hay fields this time of year for winter weeds. It is 2-4D with Dicamba in it. I like it alot and it is not much more than just 2-4D. This is for fields that I want to cut ryegrass on this spring.
Other hay fields that are completly dormate I am uesing a qt. of Roundup and a qt. of weedmaster.

What are y'all uesing to control grasshoppers? Seven?

 

[Caustic Burno]

I am uesing a qt. ofWeedmaster product on hay fields this time of year for winter weeds. It is 2-4D with Dicamba in it. I like it alot and it is not much more than just 2-4D. This is for fields that I want to cut ryegrass on this spring.
Other hay fields that are completly dormate I am uesing a qt. of Roundup and a qt. of weedmaster.

What are y'all uesing to control grasshoppers? Seven?

Yep on the seven, read your pm seven will also control fireants and army worms .

 

[TexasBred]

Why try to kill the weeds? Let the cattle graze them down. If the weeds aren't allowed to bloom, they won't be back as most "weeds" are annuals.

Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dANLnHEi19A. (Cows Eat Weeds.)

Thistles and other especially obnoxious weeds can be grazed heavily if you spot spray the weeds (or weed patch) with molasses.

Molasses is cheaper and you don't have to spray the entire field or paddock - just the weeds you want to control.

Once you've sprayed a certain type of weed 2 or 3 times with molasses, the cattle will seek these weeds out first - without them being sprayed - it's just a matter of teaching them to like different plants.

Seems it would be easier to spray one time with a good herbicide and kill the darn things rather than spray and wait and spray and wait. Molasses is not cheap anymore. This sounds like something from self proclaimed "Dirt Doctor".

 

[Douglas]

I am uesing a qt. ofWeedmaster product on hay fields this time of year for winter weeds. It is 2-4D with Dicamba in it. I like it alot and it is not much more than just 2-4D. This is for fields that I want to cut ryegrass on this spring.
Other hay fields that are completly dormate I am uesing a qt. of Roundup and a qt. of weedmaster.

What are y'all uesing to control grasshoppers? Seven?

Yep on the seven, read your pm seven will also control fireants and army worms .

Is it ok to mix seven and 2-4-d together? I am asking because i have tick problems in places

 

[sageridge]

HUS,

Didn't know there was a generic Cimmarron. Are you just mixing generic metsulfuron (Ally) with 2,4D and Dicamba? Let me know. Cimmarron is a great product, use it alot in CO,

 

[dane12]

what is generic cimarron?

 

[1982vett]

Their are several, Clean Pasture is one.

http://www.controlsolutionsinc.com/data ... 0Label.pdf

 

[1982vett]

what is generic cimarron?

After patent protection expires, other companies are allowed to formulate a knock off of the patented product. So generic cimarron is a knockoff of cimarron just like Honcho is a knockoff of Roundup.

 

[sageridge]

thanks vett,

looks like Clean Pasture is just another generic metsulfuron (Ally XP or Cimmaron). Out here in CO we always add dicamba (Banvel) to make "Cimmaron Extra". Usually spike with a few oz's of 2,4-D. Great thing is there is no grazing restrictions.